Protocol Cy-Fox v1
by Cy-Fox Unit
Summary: In the next century, a young alien fox named Miles "Tails" Prower takes the first step in a long march. This march will take him from Britannia Royal Naval College to study and sweat, to the outer rim of the Kepler-22 system aboard destroyers and battleships to fight the remains of the government that his father overthrew and finally to the Earth orbital station ARK to die.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

 **Friday, May 27, 2141**

 **HMNB Portsmouth**

 **Portsmouth, England, United Kingdom**

Cars were bumper to bumper outside of the guard post that led into Her Majesty's Naval Base Portsmouth. Within a nondescript beige coloured Jaguar, Leading Rate Peter Tyler gazed up at the rear-view mirror at two figures that were sitting in the back seat. The one sitting to the left was a woman, long blonde-grey done up in a bun. She wore a white topped peaked cap on her head with a patch consisting of a red crown above the planet Kepler-22B with an anchor and rocket imposed over the planet's profile with gold trim along the patch's perimeter. On the visor was the gold double 'scrambled eggs' of an admiral, a gold and red-trim epaulet on her right shoulder, cord of gold and red running under it, pinned to her lapel. Her sleeve featured two gold bands, the top with an executive curl though with red running between each band before stopping at a gold patch. Tyler figured her to be in her late forties or early fifties.

Beside her was a tall gold and white furred vulpinoid. He had the same peaked cap on the top of his head, adapted to account for his pointed ears. There was also a gold epaulet on the right shoulder of his black reefer jacket with the same cord running under it as his wife's though solid gold. His sleeve had three gold bands with an executive curl.

The fox panned his head to the left and right, his fingers fidgeting as the cars slowly moved forward. He leaned forward and uttered a very quiet growl. Tyler looked back at him with both hands on the wheel. He had been the fox's driver for official Royal Navy business since he became superintendent of Britannia Royal Naval College. Tyler shrugged his shoulders and gave the fox an apologetic look.

"It's a right jam, Lord Miles." Tyler said.

"Right then, Mr. Tyler. All stop. We'll hoof it." The fox commanded. Tyler applied the brakes and put the Jaguar in park. The fox reached over and opened his door, unlimbering from the car and shutting the door behind him. Then he crossed over around the back as another car sidled up and came to abrupt stop. One of the officers in the back had brought his window down and stuck his head out to shout but upon glimpsing the fox, he wisely decided to slip back in. Being seen in public where cameras very well could lurk, shouting at Admiral Lord Miles Prower, Earl of Devon, Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath and Victoria Cross holder was tantamount to career suicide on one hand and public ridicule in the other.

Lord Miles made it to the left rear passenger door and opened it, offering his hand to the woman who took it and used it as leverage to get out from the Jaguar. She looked up at him with a smile and a shake of her head, squeezing his hand. The fox's wife, Surgeon Vice Admiral Lady Maria Prower (nee Robotnik since 2116) had been made Countess of Devon when Miles was awarded with the peerage. The two began to walk forward on the right side of the procession, approaching the guard shack where Royal Marines were gathered, trying to filter as many cars forward as they could.

As they got closer, Miles reached into the inner pocket of his jacket and removed his identification badge, clipping it on the right side of his chest. Maria opened her handbag and did the same. Upon sighting the pair, the Royal Marines saluted as the two stepped up, which the fox returned.

"Admirals," The marine tasked to him tipped his hat and looked at his identification badge with scrutiny. The other took Maria's badge, looking up at her face before returning it back to her.

"All's in order Admiral Prower, Vice Admiral Prower." The first marine said, stepping back to attend back to the cars.

"Thank you." Miles said, taking Maria's hand again before they stepped forward.

"The International Fleet Review," Maria said. "It's a bit early, isn't it, love?" Her voice was a combination of her native Swede accent but also that of the Devon gentry while being amongst the other ladies of British high society.

"Bismarck 200." Miles explained. Maria blinked and looked up at the fox with confusion. "It's general practice to hold an International Fleet Review on the centenary of certain pivotal battles here. You might be more familiar with Trafalgar 300 which was when you were sixteen. Lord Nelson defeated the Franco-Spanish fleet during the Napoleonic Wars in 1805. Today, two hundred years ago the Home Fleet sank the KMS _Bismarck_ days after it sank HMS Hood. World War II as you humans called it."

"Close to when I almost lost you, twenty-six years ago, love." Maria said, squeezing tightly on his hand. She could feel his fingers squeeze back carefully in turn, the motors clicking and whirring audibly.

"If you look at the matter scientifically, it wasn't an almost but an absolute." Miles countered. "We just got very lucky, that's all." He swallowed and led her towards one of the administration buildings when a woman in the body armor and uniform of the Royalty and Specialist Protection Group spotted the pair.

"Excuse me, sir. You are Admiral and Vice Admiral Prower, are you not?" The woman asked.

"Indeed, we are, Constable." Miles said.

"Her Majesty Queen Katherine requests that you join her and her entourage aboard their ship." The woman replied.

"Oh? Which is that?" Miles asked. The constable gestured for him to follow with her head.

"Sorry sir, I was asked not to answer any questions about the nature of the ship." The constable advised.

"Who am I to question Her Majesty's choice in ship? Very well, consider me intrigued." Miles said, raising his eyes up skyward. His ears shot up as he felt Maria squeezing on his arm.

"You can be grumpy after we're away from the royals." Maria said quietly.

"It's probably some yacht and we're going to be mobbed by the press." Miles grumbled.

"You didn't mind when King George knighted you." Maria retorted gently.

"You don't suppose we'll get a dinner invitation, do you?" The fox put his eyes back forward, pressing his free hand to his abdomen. "Well, I could look forward to that at least."

The SO14 constable led them to the dockyard, where Prower lazily ran his eyes along to the empty places. Then he took notice of the solitary ship that sat at anchor, its profile familiar, and one that he had seen both in books but also in paintings and models aboard his second and arguably favorite ship command. He blinked and saw the Royal Standard of the United Kingdom on the yardarm. The constable stopped at the end of the gangway.

"This is, no it can't be!" Miles exclaimed, gesturing towards the ship with his free hand. "She sank in Prussia Cove! There is absolutely no way-" His ears twitched as he heard the sideboys piping him aboard to the quarterdeck, where he automatically saluted. Then he caught sight of the Prince of Wales holding a white flag which had two crests upon it, one with a woodpecker and the other with cannon. Both had the name _Warspite_ above them.

"Lord Miles," Queen Katherine said, smiling as she walked around in front of her son. The fox came to a stop and bowed low while Maria took a moment to drop down to a curtsy.

"Your Majesty, I can't believe my eyes. This is HMS _Warspite_. The original _Warspite_." Miles sputtered.

"The namesake of the space battleship that you served on, yes." Queen Katherine said, nodding. "Not the original though but a carefully constructed reproduction, funded in part by your generous donations to the _Warspite_ Foundation over the years, Lord Miles. This will be the flagship for the International Fleet Review, but more importantly it will be _your_ flagship."

" _My_ flagship?" Miles stared blankly, mouth gaping.

"Provided of course that you have no objection to allowing it to serve as a museum open to the public when not undertaking official business." Queen Katherine requested.

"I have no objections at all that I could voice, your Majesty." Miles slowly lowered himself down to the deck, reaching out to touch the wood.

"It is the least that we could do for the hero of the Battle of the ARK and a loyal servant of our nation. I also see it fit to promote you to Admiral-of-the-Fleet, Lord Miles." Katherine said.

Admiral-of-the-Fleet, the highest rank one could hold in the Royal Navy. It would likely convert over to Keplerian Republic Space Navy. He swallowed and continued to run his hand against the deck. Maria knelt and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing the back of his head. He focused his eyes on his hand now, the whirring and clicking much like the feeling of the deck taking him back to the beginning.


	2. Chapter 1: Atomic Argument

**Chapter 1**

 **Wednesday, May 2, 2085**

 **1st Royal Armored Guards Regiment**

 **Colonel Amadeus Prower, RAA**

Offensive D'Coolette had been smashed to pieces in the northwest. The radio chatter in Colonel Prower's command tank was going back and forth like the far-off machinegun fire being traded. The 1st Royal Armored was set up pointed towards the northwest and arranged so that the battered remains of Army Group D'Coolette could pull back to safety. Major General Michel D'Coolette himself was dead and Prower wasn't certain as to whether he could feel pity for the man.

The whole war was under the pretense of the echidnas being fragmented tribes with little in the way of tactics and weapons. But over time, they had improvised and filled their numbers with sympathizers, whipping them into a fury. Though recently things took a terrible turn when they had somehow organized into an effective force with vehicles. At first it was thought that they had captured Acornian tanks and weapons but when D'Coolette ran into them, he found that his new Sebastian tanks were no match. Any 88mm shells fired at the enemy, or at least the enemy close enough to be in range would bounce off. Those foolish enough to fire at these monsters paid dearly like D'Coolette.

Amadeus grunted as he opened a large envelope with the seal of the Royal Military Intelligence Service. Removing the documents within, he set the stack down upon his knees and turned on a small overhead lamp. There were still a few spies within the Echidna Brotherhood as it now proclaimed itself, but they too were being discovered and neutralized at an alarming rate. He thumbed through the documents until finding the photograph he was looking for. Curling the pages in front over to the back, he rotated the stack and stared before putting the round-rimmed glasses around his neck on.

It was diagrams of what he suspected D'Coolette had faced. An ugly green-gray contraption, the tank had seven tracked wheels with hull two feet longer than the Sebastian and a 20-foot-long gun with a 125mm caliber barrel from what he could make out from the cryptic words. That was another thing that was unnerving; the echidna language was one that they had understood for decades since the war started. Now they had switched to this new language that could not be deciphered and the echidnas that could be captured could not be understood, generally executed or sent to a camp.

He was broken out of his study with the radio operator patting him on the left shoulder.

"Colonel?" The corporal said, holding out a sheet of paper. "New radio message received from command. It's from the king, new orders."

"Thank you, Corporal." Amadeus took the sheet and nodded, setting it down over the intelligence file. _By command of King Frederick, sovereign of the Kingdom and Grand Patriarch of the House of Acorn, all Army forces are to withdraw at once. The echidna savages will soon face the might of our newest weapon. Because of its awesome power, all forces are to withdraw so that they are not harmed. The weapons will be deployed within the next few hours; those that are still in the operational area do so at their own risk_. _We will finally obliterate these vermin from our empire._

Vermin. Less than Acornian, Amadeus thought. More bluster from a king with a withered left arm. Posturing and rage to compensate, though the King's patronage had benefitted him by proxy, first with his father who had been an infantry officer, then his grandfather who was an enlisted engineer. Two generations of war went from airships, trenches and wooden planes to fast, rapid action with men on trucks and tanks. All from the stab in the back that the echidnas seemed to perpetrate seventy-three years ago. His grandfather would growl and draw from his flask however, giving hint to a different tale to the young fox before he went to become an infantry officer himself. Eugen Prower had loyalty to truth as strong as the private soldier had for his comrades, his stomach, his paysack, a warm place to sleep and home. War for seventy-three years, from grandfather, to father to son.

Now with new weapons at hand too it seemed. Likely from the South Island Airstrip. Safe from a naval attack as the echidnas had no navy or privateer force to speak of, information about its projects were normally restricted. However, someone both with command authority as well as scientific expertise had forwarded the information that was resting in the envelope still. He reached in and withdrew it with a grimace, looking at the designation of Grand Slam.

Standard iron bombs were filled not with high explosives but a special holding chamber for chemical "bullet" and electronics that would allow it to set off a chain reaction within the bullet, a process called fission. The atoms of the bullet would split and release a large force of energy, erupting in a fireball before releasing pressure waves. Memory of the first reading he made of Grand Slam started to surge to the forefront. Those lucky few would be the ones near the blast zone, they would be vaporized. Those not lucky would be burned, blind and irradiated along with bodily trauma from the pressure wave.

The effects of radiation itself were tested on both echidna prisoners and deserters in model cities and closed conditions. The photo of an echidna child's burned face and boiled, cataracted eyes made him want to vomit and retch inside of the tank. Ironically, they also found that the radiation could not only cause cancer but also treat it. The barbarity visited upon these prisoners rankled in his heart. They were meant to win on the battlefield, with better material, better weapons and better men. Who truly was the better man with these atomic weapons at hand now? It seemed likely unless a new secret weapon was being used that Grand Slam assets would be used. The effects caused him to wonder about something, making him look at the radio operator again.

"Radio, you took down the weather station reports?" Amadeus asked.

"Right after breakfast, Colonel." The operator shuffled through his papers and then presented a single sheet which had been typed up on his compact typewriter/crypto-unit. The operator handed it to him and Amadeus flipped back to the data on fallout. He looked at the weather report for the day and the next few.

Winds ran west to east of course, and the Kingdom's seat was near the eastern seaboard. He unrolled the area map and set the papers down on top, drawing a pencil out. With careful attention, he made a circle with a center point at where Army Group D'Coolette broke down and withdrew, the circumference that of the largest known Grand Slam bomb's blast zone. Then he drew lines based on predicted wind direction and speed. One bomb alone would kick up fallout that would likely poison crop lands and villages leading to Mobotropolis. Knothole would be the worst off to his lamentation. He pictured the fireball, engulfing the village, the innocents huddled in their basements or cellars.

Hours from now, no aircraft overhead today, perhaps bombing runs the night before. No warning leaflets, no radio broadcasts except for the military. Such madness. Amadeus stared down at the map grimly and then placed his face in both hands, massaging his forehead. Could he really allow such a thing to happen even to his enemy? They had a code of honor to follow, the enemy was meant to be broken in battle, broken fairly. On top of that, when captured they were meant to be treated with dignity, perhaps set to work but nothing further than that. After all, barbarism invites more barbarism in return. He lowered his hands slowly and shivered, turning in his seat.

"Radio, I want the battalion channel." Amadeus said, reaching out for the second headset, putting it on, cups turned into his ears. The operator adjusted the radio set and could be heard both out loud and in the headset. "All battalions, First Guards. Prepare for transmission from Colonel Prower."

"Guards, this is Colonel Prower. You may be getting radio reports indicating that we are to withdraw from the area so that the Army Air Force can deploy a new weapon. It is in the interest of the Kingdom's survival that we not allow this to happen. I have seen what this weapon is capable of and project a catastrophic event on its use. Our intention is to withdraw but we will withdraw to South Island. If we are quick enough, we may be able to prevent deployment. For those of you that may object to my actions, you may organize yourself and evacuate, but you will be left with no radio. Battalion acknowledge please."

"Major Ogilvie reporting. 1st Battalion is with you." A reply came a few minutes later. Others started to follow in turn.

"Infantry to their vehicles, support vehicles and tanks ready for column formation. Take on full fuel loads and supplies. We leave in 20 minutes. Regiment communications will switch to tomorrow's cipher." Amadeus ordered.

Acknowledgements came in, then Amadeus took the headset off and climbed up to open the outer hatch at the top of the turret, climbing out. He looked out at the woods and then the sky, taking a slow deep breath. He held it for a few seconds and then exhaled. One last sight of the world as it would be before the newest front in the Long War opened.

 **South Island Naval Outpost**

 **A-Hour +2**

The outpost was guarded by a combination of Royal Army and Royal Navy personnel. Amadeus' column stopped at the gates and the fox's tank was in the center of the tank group. He stared out from the open hatch, headset on and waved his hand out while a squad of his infantry moved up and formed a line in front of the lead tanks.

"Ogilvie meet me at the front." Amadeus said.

"As you say, sir." Ogilvie replied. Amadeus lowered his headset and then dropped it down for it to hang on a rung on the ladder before dismounting. He climbed down from the right side and hit the ground feet first, placing his hands behind his back as he walked forward. A slightly shorter blue hedgehog joined up with him at a brisk pace.

"Major." Prower returned the hedgehog's quick salute.

"Colonel. I must admit I was surprised by your orders, but you've never led us astray these years. You see something that we do not." Ogilvie said quietly.

"Something the king is utterly blind to and we cannot allow that blindness to engulf our beloved country in fire." Amadeus replied while they approached the infantry line. He motioned for the center to move aside for them to step to. An Army sentry stood at the gate and then turned to face him, rendering a salute.

"Colonel!" The sentry had taken a quick look at his uniform. "We were unaware that you would be coming."

"That is perfectly within plan, Private." Prower said. "We were the nearest unit and drove hard to reach South Island in time. I take it all is quiet?"

"Well-" The sentry swallowed. "As usual, I would say. Why?"

"There is a secret project essential to victory on the island. There is word of saboteurs trying to derail the King's work. We are here to secure the island from echidna machinations." Amadeus explained. "I could understand why you did not get word; strict radio silence is to be maintained. Now, we must pass through."

"As you say, Colonel!" The sentry answered, stamping his rifle butt against the ground. "May the sun never set on the Kingdom!" He then stepped back and conversed quickly with the other gate guards, motioning for them to open the gates. Amadeus waved his hand back and the infantry started to rush back to remount, Ogilvie following in turn.

Once he was back in his tank, Amadeus put his headset on and waited for the front of the column to slowly push through. Then once they were at the gate, he called out into his radio.

"Driver, halt!"

The tank came to a stop and Prower looked over at the gate guard he had spoken to. "Tell the base commander that we require all available vehicle transports, as soon as possible!"

 **A-Hour +1.30**

The transport ship crews had been roused and given their orders, steaming to back up against the large concrete piers. Amadeus had given mounting orders, each transport containing a ratio of 2 tanks, 2 support vehicles and 3 troop carriers. They had ended up using up every available transport, leaving a quarter of the force behind.

He stood in the bridge of his transport, Ogilvie with him along with infantry guards. The captain of the transport noticed a blinking red light on his telephone and picked up the handset.

"Transport Group 4, Lieutenant Pelz reporting." The cat-like Acornian said. Amadeus could hear furious yelling from where he stood.

"Why we're transporting Colonel Prower's command group as ordered." Pelz replied. Then his ears raised up. "I would assume the Colonel's orders are sound." More yelling and chatter. "What? Desertion?" Amadeus' own ears raised as he reached out and snatched the phone from the cat while opening his holster, removing his sidearm. Pelz' yellow eyes widened.

"Prower." The fox rumbled. "What is this nonsense about desertion?"

"This is Captain Koray of the South Island Outpost." A high-pitched snarl came through. "I called to confirm your orders, Colonel. Apparently, the High Command was not aware of your movement. They expected you to be pulling back towards Mobotropolis."

"As I told you earlier, the South Island base is potentially under attack." Amadeus snapped. "We received word from intelligence, obviously High Command was not apprised. We are going to relieve the island and secure it."

"I am radioing new orders, you will turn back until High Command confirms the intelligence." Koray countered.

"So, you will delay us while the echidnas potentially endanger our greatest weapons? I had no idea that we had echidna sympathizers in our own Navy!" Amadeus growled. "Perhaps you forget that part of my regiment is still with you. You can answer for your subversive actions before a general court martial." He slammed the phone down and then looked at Pelz. "Damn that fool! These vessels are under Army command, my command. Any radio orders that come through are considered void under my authority as the commander of the King's Armored Guards. Put me on the transport group channel."

Pelz blinked, staring down at the fox's gun, frozen.

"You will do as I say, or I will have to have one of my men pilot. I would rather not waste the King's chosen sailors." Amadeus pointed the gun up at the cat's head and waved it towards the console. "Change channels, Pelz. Now!"

Hearing the fox's commanding tone, the cat forced himself to blink and then reached up, adjusting with a shaky hand. "-Transport Group patched in." Amadeus nodded and put his gun away but kept the flap open. "Thank you, Lieutenant. I apologize for being forceful, but it was necessary. This must not be easy for you." He looked at Ogilvie. "Fetch him a drink, would you? Only one."

"Yes Colonel!" The hedgehog answered, walking off from the bridge while Amadeus picked up the phone.

"Transport Groups, this is Colonel Prower. As I have just informed my own transport captain, there appears to be a plot to disrupt our relief of South Island. All radio orders incoming with the incorrect cipher I have assigned are null. Our mission is clear, and we will continue to the island. Those that attempt to deter our lifesaving mission will be arrested or shot, at the ranking Army officer or soldier's discretion." The fox slammed the phone back onto its hook and stepped back, crossing his arms. Pelz didn't dare to look back at him as he continued their heading.

Jules returned moments later with a small glass and set it down near the ship's wheel. The fox and the hedgehog's eyes met while Amadeus made a gesture for the major to follow him. They left the bridge together while the Army guards kept a close eye on the cat, even as with a shaking hand, he grasped the glass and drained it slowly. Prower and Ogilvie entered a small office and the hedgehog closed the door.

"How long do you think we'll be able to keep this going before High Command comes down upon us?" Jules asked.

"Long enough to get onto the island, I hope." Amadeus replied, taking his hat off and collapsing into a chair. He looked upon the hedgehog with a sad smile. "Victory or defeat, I will be considered a mutineer at least, perhaps a potential dictator at most. They may spin this as a military coup."

"Would you really depose the King?" Jules asked. Amadeus squeezed on his hat while he pondered the question.

"Ideally, no. Disabling these weapons would at the very least set things back, perhaps giving him time to realize what I did. Then again, I could be grossly underestimating him. Who is to say South Island is the only place? But perhaps this would cast enough doubt to where this crazy plan is stopped." Prower said. "I can't allow this to go through. This isn't to spare the echidnas either, this is to spare the world."

"If you are to really spare the world," Jules countered, leaning in close to the fox's right ear. "Then we must go all in." Such was Ogilvie, the gambler of the two. "The fact that he was willing to go to these extremes says that he is insane. Besides, if royal rule is to continue, it can be through the Crown Prince. He is one of us after all; he chose to take the King's Coin for service. Otherwise perhaps it is time that the people ruled."

"Ah yes, this talk of republics. How many of their kind have we kicked doors in upon? How many freethinkers did we consign to dungeons or to hanging? Would they really accept our kind after what we have done, were they to rule? Or would it be us hanging?" Amadeus demurred.

"We might be hanging either way, but if we are, at least we would hang as men of honor." Jules said.

"We? I would take all the responsibility; besides you have a wife, Jules. My heart is for the Acornian fields." Amadeus shook his head. Then he felt the hedgehog's hand on his shoulder and blinked.

"As is mine. But if they are to hang my brother, may they hang me as well." Jules declared.

 **A-Hour +1.0**

 **South Island Air Station**

Once the 1st Armored Guards had gotten off from their transports, Amadeus had sent instructions throughout the transport group to return to the naval outpost. This would both provide some legitimacy to his intended mission but also put time in their favor. After disembarking, he returned to his command tank and replaced his headset, finding it still on the same ladder rung that he had left it upon. He lifted his binoculars up and scanned around the landing zone. Sure enough, the largest feature was the airstrip, large enough for two bombers to take off simultaneously.

As a matter of fact, bombers were assembled on the strip and with the guards that were arranged around them; there was something more than standard munitions loaded up. Most likely the atomics, such security even on an isolated island! He lowered the binoculars and grunted. Take out the bombers and the hangars for good measure and that could be it. Then again, would they set off the bombs? That would be fine, he was committing career suicide. What was the difference at this stage?

The fox blinked and then started to climb down, closing the hatch and lowering the boom on his headset. "Driver take us forward, slow. Radio, regiment channel."

"You have the regiment." The radio operator advised after making the adjustment.

"Thank you, radio. 1st Guards, our first objective is the bombers. It is my hope that these planes are unoccupied or at least our attack may cause the pilots to bail. If they do, do not fire until you are reasonably certain that they are clear." Amadeus commanded. "Move in a wedge formation on the airstrip." He lowered the boom down afterwards. "Driver join us on the lead wedge."

The Sebastian tanks rumbled and kicked up dust and smoke while they got into the assigned formations. Then they started to advance on the chain-link and barbed wire fence that surrounded the airfield. The engine sounds had been first mistaken as cars and transports but once the first wedge slammed through the fence; the guards and ground crew turned their attention to the invaders.

Confusion ran rampant through them as the tanks were easily recognized as their own. From what they could see, the actual bomber crews weren't in yet; in fact, some of the bombs were laying out in the open to be placed into the bays. The airbase personnel seemed to tense as the tanks came to a stop before them.

An Acornian resembling a dingo approached with the same colonel's rank device that Amadeus had on his uniform at his collar. Amadeus stared out at the man through a periscope and looked back at the radio operator. "Switch to loudspeaker." He started to climb up, opening the hatch and appearing at the top.

"What's the meaning of this?" The dingo shouted. "Who is in charge of this group?"

"Colonel Prower, of the 1st Armored Guards." The fox replied, voice amplified. For decorum's sake he even managed a salute, which caught the dingo by surprise. He looked for the source of the voice and then turned to face the fox's tank, returning it.

"Colonel Argus of the 3rd Bomb Squadron." The dingo said, staring at the formation of tanks. "What is the meaning of this...unorthodox entry?"

"I have very good reason to believe that you are about to execute unlawful orders that pose a danger to the Kingdom." Prower stated.

"Unlawful orders?" Argus' ears raised in confusion. "How can they be unlawful?"

"These are atomic bombs, yes? Based on your deployment stance, and analysis that we conducted, you are going to end up having radioactive material carrying back to Mobotropolis. These weapons are a clear and present danger to the Kingdom." Amadeus declared.

"That may be fact, or it may not. But my orders were given directly by King Frederick, personally." Argus countered. "I'm certain that the Artillery Special Science Service would have come to the same conclusion you have and informed him if that were the case. In the meantime, unless countermanded I have a mission to carry out."

"Your mission is over here and now." Amadeus muttered. He glanced at the bombers and pointed towards the aircraft at the front of the formation. "Gunner target the plane on the right. Load armor-piercing."

Argus' ears lowered, and a red tinge came upon his muzzle as he started to advance towards Amadeus' tank. "Are you insane Prower? You can't fire upon my aircraft! That's tr-"

"Treason." Prower finished for him. "I suppose it is. But do not confuse the concept of whether I should fire and whether I could fire." He heard the gunner's voice in his ear. "AP loaded!" The fox pounded his fist down against the body of the turret. "You have 30 seconds to get out of the way."

"It's treason-" Argus sputtered.

"Twenty-nine!" Amadeus called out. "Twenty-eight-"

Argus looked over at the guards and snarled. "Shoot him! He's gone mad." In response, some of the other tanks started to position their guns towards the assembled group, machine-gun barrels poised. Jules Ogilvie came up from the top of his own tank and pointed towards them. With a sharp series of cracks, bullets spat out and hit the pavement near Argus harmlessly. The dingo's ears raised, and his survival instinct finally kicked in, along with the others as they scattered. Once they were away, Amadeus rapped his fist against the turret again.

"Fire!" The fox yelled, lowering himself down and closing the hatch. A few moments later there was a deafening boom while fire jetted out from the barrel. The 88-millimeter round slammed into the targeted bomber, tearing it apart and even penetrating to others in line. Ruptured fuel lines started to bleed out onto the ground and set off a series of explosions.

"Reverse!" Amadeus yelled hastily, waiting for the expected atomic explosion to come. But as they rolled back, he did not feel the sudden heat and the crew continued their task calmly. Certainly, bombs were struck but there had been no chain reaction. No reaction meant no fission. They could be rendered inert this way. "Back to regiment net." he called out to the radio operator.

"You may fire on the bombers at will, then destroy those that may still be in their hangars." Amadeus said. Then he thought for a moment. "Troop carriers form on me, we'll see what they have at the research facility. Major Ogilvie comes with me too. Captain Flint will be in command of the cleanup here."

With that, the fox finally took off his headset and waited as the tank broke away from its wedge, Ogilvie's soon joining along with the troop transports to the nondescript, concrete block building, all filled with apprehension as to what they would encounter next.


	3. Chapter 2: Armageddon Averted

**Chapter 2**

Colonel Prower did not have to do very much talking to make his way through the facility. The infantry congregated around him, and Ogilvie seemed to say enough with their rifles ready. Both officers had their sidearms out and had part of the group split off to sweep. Near the main elevator was an office with a simple placard that said 'Keiden - Department Head, Atomic Research'. Amadeus motioned for one of the infantrymen with them to open the door. The Acornian strode forward while the others stacked up in single file behind him. Then he reached out and grasped the doorknob, testing it.

"Unlocked." The soldier reported.

"Open it." A sergeant replied. The soldier nodded and turned the knob fully, pushing the door open and going in with his gun up. Then he stepped back with a raised fist, thumb up.

"Clear, one non-hostile." The soldier proclaimed. Amadeus nodded and stepped in through the doorway. To his surprise, he saw a female fox sitting down at her desk wearing a yellow labjacket over her Royal Army uniform. From what he could tell, she was a captain in the Royal Artillery.

"Captain Keiden, I presume?" Amadeus said.

"Rosemary Keiden, chief of atomic research, yes. Colonel Prower if I am not mistaken." The pale gold fox replied. "I see you received the reports I had sent to you."

"Reports?" Amadeus blinked and then slowly put his sidearm away before sitting down in front of her desk.

"You were sent classified information about the activity here at South Island. Activity that is of strategic importance to the King, but morally flawed. Obviously, you agreed so much as to invade, as I hoped." Rosemary explained with a raise of her ears. Their eyes met, and Amadeus silently nodded.

"I prepared my people for that possibility which is why you have had no armed resistance throughout the labs. However, I cannot guarantee anything of the King's Life Guards or the Army Air Force." Rosemary continued.

"I do not believe we will have to worry about the Air Force. Their bombers are wrecked, and our tanks hold the airfield." Amadeus explained.

"I would be concerned about Level Black, Colonel. Ever since the orders were made, the King himself took refuge there. He and the Life Guards will not see reason. Appeals to decency have killed some of my subordinates, at least those who had Black access. Even then, this will likely tip his hand. They have control over atomic weapons still, the next generation. Smaller versions of the bomb, for what I do not know. Even I do not have Black access." Her ears lowered. "All I know is it is underground."

"Then we will proceed down there." Amadeus rose up and Rosemary matched him.

"I would like to go with you, Colonel." She took off the labjacket and unholstered her sidearm, checking it with a pull back of the slide before returning it to its place. "I want to see this disarmament through."

"Granted." Amadeus gestured towards the open doorway and nodded to Jules. "Are there any engineers? Specifically, electrically skilled ones?"

"Senior Private Bean!" A sergeant called out and a green duck-like avian strode forward before stopping and saluting.

"Colonel Prower!" Bean said. "Reporting for your tasking."

"Specialization, Senior Private?" Amadeus asked.

"Explosive ordinance. Wiring bombs, defusing them." Bean replied.

"If you get us down to Level Black, you will earn your sergeant's chevrons." Amadeus proclaimed. He then pointed to the elevator and the duck nodded.

Bean proceeded to the elevator and pressed its call button, the doors opening before him. He unslung his pack and set it down on the floor.

"Your two-best close-shots with him, please." Amadeus said to the sergeant. The sergeant tapped another's elbow and started to stride into the elevator with Bean. Then the doors closed, and Amadeus could hear the car descend.

Inside, Bean looked around at the panel as the door refused to open. He noticed a card slot and then took out a screwdriver, starting to remove the screws from the panel. Then he pulled the mounting out, setting it down gently on the floor. Then he studied the card slot assembly, lowering himself to his knees. The duck reached down into the pocket of his uniform shirt and removed a pair of glasses, putting them on, reaching in. Feeling around, he felt something that shouldn't be there. The cardboard packaging for a demolition charge and wiring feeding to the slot. Removing a pair of wire cutters, he felt around some more, finding a backup set of wiring. Grabbing another, smaller set of cutters, he closed the teeth around the backup set, then around the primary set. Taking a deep breath, Bean closed his eyes and placed his hands on the grips to both, counting down silently from ten before squeezing.

No reaction. Bean sighed audibly and removed the cutters before ripping the charge off from its adhesive mount, dropping it to the ground. Then he cut the head off from the card reader, exposing its wires. Then he grasped the exposed wires and experimentally pressed them together in sets of two. The doors started to rumble open and he reached into his pack, pulling out a twister-nut and screwing the correct wires together. Then he remounted the panel and screwed it back in. Before he pressed the ground floor button, the sergeant pressed a hand to his shoulder.

"We'll hold down here, Sergeant." The Acornian said with a smile and then gave him a friendly clap on the back. "Excellent work. Go get the colonel." Then he dismounted with the rifleman before Bean pressed the ground floor button. Once the elevator rose back up, he slipped his pack back on and picked up his rifle.

"All good Colonel. She's opened for you. Cover team is down there waiting for us." Bean declared. Amadeus nodded and strode into the elevator with Jules and Rosemary in tow along with other riflemen. They packed the car with the riflemen in front of the officers. Bean reached forward and pressed the Black level button. When the elevator descended, the cover team nodded to them and started to move forward, the group following in formation.

The level itself seemed very barebones with lights strung above in protective cages. Red strobe lights flickered every so often. As they moved along, the riflemen pointed their guns at new openings that developed. The natural walls at one point stopped and something caught Rosemary's attention. There were special suits in alcoves and several were missing.

"What are these?" Amadeus asked, stopping in front of one. It was completely black, made of polymer and nylon with a bubble-like helmet attached at the neck and hoses attached at the chest and abdomen to a backpack. The Kingdom's flag was on a patch on each arm.

"I don't know exactly. Some sort of protective suit, perhaps for radiation shielding?" Rosemary conjected.

Amadeus reached in and struggled to pull one out while the sergeant from the cover team went in to assist. He pulled down the zipper and unholstered his sidearm, handing it out to Jules before the sergeant held it upright. The fox removed the helmet carefully and set it down before climbing into the suit. Jules held the gun out and Amadeus took it carefully, finding his index finger didn't quite fit but would at least engage the trigger. Then Jules helped him attach the helmet before sealing the suit up. Bean went around to his front and looked over the equipment before finding a switch. Amadeus heard a low hiss as he was pressurized.

"It will take some getting used to." Amadeus said, voice coming out from a chest mounted speaker grille. "Let's go."

Rosemary looked at a nearby wall sign. "Let's look at the launch bay."

Amadeus nodded, and the team began to proceed through. The launch bay was large and open. Looking up, he gaped at several massive rockets that were set up in corner points. There was also a sort of control center between two of them at the ceiling. Then he turned around and saw a second one between the others.

"What are these?" Amadeus asked Rosemary.

"I honestly don't know, Colonel." Her ears raised tensely while the riflemen started to fan out. Then suddenly the lights went out and flares were dropped out from above, burning a bright red as the lights came on. The team started to withdraw closer to themselves in confusion.

"Drop your weapons!" Soldiers called out.

"This is your king." A familiar voice added over loudspeakers. The team's attention raised towards an Acornian squirrel with dark auburn fur. He was wearing a suit like the one Amadeus wore, with his crown atop of his head, apparently the helmet fitted to account for it.

"Prower here, your highness. Colonel, 1st Royal Guards." Amadeus said, keeping his gaze with Frederick.

"Colonel, if you have any concern for the lives of your men, you will have them drop their weapons." Frederick growled.

"This is not happening." Jules muttered.

"Sir. We know what this facility is meant to do. Please," Amadeus kept his gun pointed to the floor and held his free out towards him. "I was sworn to defend our kingdom from all enemies. Foreign and domestic. We can beat the echidnas but not like this. I have spilled blood for you, but I cannot let this happen. I cannot give that order."

"You are covered from an elevated position, Colonel. I am not going to ask again. You have not killed any of my men. You do not have to die here either." Frederick said.

"These weapons are going to devastate our land and our honor. Honor, have you forgotten that?!" Amadeus looked at the soldiers with the king. "We've had friends that we remember, that died. But that doesn't give you the right to commit a genocide!"

"You call it what you want, you're down there and we're up here! You walked into the wrong battlefield, Colonel!" Frederick screamed.

"Stand fast!" Amadeus yelled.

"Colonel, one last time, you tell your men to drop your weapons!" Frederick yelled back.

"I cannot give that order!" Amadeus thundered.

"I will not repeat that order." Frederick screamed.

"I will not give that order!" Amadeus raised his sidearm up while his riflemen started to take aim. He centered the sights on Frederick's helmet. A blue weasel with a black beret on his head adjusted his rifle next to Frederick and fired as all hell broke loose.

With the loud crack of the weasel's rifle, Amadeus was knocked down onto the ground and Jules let out a loud snarl throughout the gunfire. He placed himself over Amadeus and grabbed his gun, firing wildly up at Frederick with both pistols. The weasel moved the rifle, centering the sight on Amadeus head and fired again. Jules instinctively covered the fox's head with his body and groaned as he felt a fiery pain in his chest. Then he heard a pained growl from Amadeus, dropping both guns and pressing a hand to his own wound before lowering down as Bean unslung two grenades and threw them up, causing Frederick to duck down and grab at the weasel's arm. Both scampered away as the glass shattered, the two explosions narrowly missing them.

Jules pulled his hand away from the wound and looked down upon the blood that streaked into his fur. He winced and looked at Amadeus, seeing the entry of the round that went through him. Blood was pouring from Amadeus' left eye socket and there were fragments of the bullet as well as the helmet's glass embedded.

"Colonel-" Jules coughed. He clumsily undid the helmet and lifted it off from the fox's head. Amadeus' good eye fixed upon him as he lifted his right hand up, pressing it to the hedgehog's wound, the pain in his head making him speechless.

Rosemary knelt beside them, undoing her necktie and pressing it against Amadeus' ruined eye. Amadeus' soldiers started to rush towards the staircases, diverting the defenders' attention. Frederick had doubled back to the other control center, picking up a red handled firing key. He inserted it into the master control system and turned it, then made his way towards the fourth rocket.

"Firing procedure initiated." Frederick's recorded voice could be heard. "Launch in 5 minutes."

"Is there a medic?" Rosemary screamed. Jules groaned and reached down for his hand radio, holding it out to her before dropping it. She grabbed it and keyed the mic.

"This is Captain Keiden, I need two medics down on Level Black." The fox was answered with static. She dropped the radio and pulled off her jacket, packing it in against Jules' wound. Then she could hear machinery whirring and grinding, gasses hissing from hose ports. A low rumbling could be heard while light could be seen towards the top of the silos from the outside. The rockets themselves started to slowly rise on wall-tracks. Then there was an intense heat as fire erupted from the thrusters at the bottom as barriers lowered down. The facility seemed to shake and rumble as the rockets rose up out from the silos.

 **Crystal Peak NORAD Substation**

 **Space Station ARK - Earth Orbit**

"Ma'am, ABM Satellite 25-17 reports a ballistic launch from Kepler-22B." Captain Richard Starinsky said. Lieutenant Colonel Sherrell Starinsky set her coffee down suddenly at her desk and raised her eyebrows. "Call it up on the Big Board."

The massive flat panel display switched out from its regular operations display to a live satellite feed from ABM 25-17 as the original four missiles, along with others started to shoot upwards. The 33-year-old woman stared and then looked back at her husband. "Can you confirm they are nuclear?"

Richard brought up the scanner feed from the satellites' sensor array. "All except for one." He knit his eyebrows in confusion. "One appears to have no warhead but organic lifeforms."

"Probably a decoy. It seems our quiet friends have decided to go nuclear. Trajectory?" Sherell asked.

"Various points throughout their main landmass to the west. Possibly populated." Richard replied.

Sherell picked up the red phone at her desk. "Crystal Peak for Brass Hat."

"You are go for Brass Hat. General Ray here." A male voice answered.

"Dani, we have multiple launches from 22-B. Nuclear with one possible decoy. They present an extreme danger to the population. I'm requesting permission to shoot." Sherell said urgently.

"We're getting the same thing from Space Command. You are cleared hot, Starinsky." General Ray replied. Sherell lowered the phone down. "Cleared hot, burn them out!"

"ABMs switching to target and lase." Richard said as multiple targeting windows from every satellite occupied the Big Board. The mirror arrays on the satellites started to adjust for their targets before the protective caps covering the muzzle of the focusing lenses rolled back.

"Energy charges good!" Several operators called out. "We are green!"

"Shoot!" Sherrell said, standing up and approaching the Big Board. Bright yellow-white flashes temporarily overwhelmed the feeds before they could see the focused solar beams striking down at the incoming missiles.

"Splashed track one." Richard reported. "Track two, splashed. Stand by." He analyzed the incoming reports. "All tracks except for the decoy are splashed. The decoy is not re-entering. I repeat, it is _not_ re-entering."

"Leave it be. We might capture it for study, but we have more pressing concerns. Where did those launches come from?"

"Reverse-trajectory plot shows likely silo positions." Richard answered. "Rocks are on standby."

"Rock em." Sherrell commanded.

"Yes ma'am." Richard keyed his loudspeaker mic. "Ladies and gentlemen, this is your DJ, Captain Richard Starinsky here with BGGR-6 FM. To those of you down here listening from your silos, we'd like to present you with America's Greatest Hits."

The ABMs started to reposition now, special tungsten rods exposing themselves while their target trajectories were programmed. Once completed, the rods started to drop away from the satellites, small thrusters burning to position them on target. Gravity would do the rest for the Ballistic Gravity Guided Rod (or Rock as they were affectionately known) Sixes. Streaking down, they would strike and bury deep down into the open silos, causing them to collapse in on themselves.

The red phone vibrated in Sherrell's hand and she brought it up to her ear.

"Good hits, Colonel. The UN's greenlit a strike response team. They're detaching from the ARK to make gate transit." General Ray said. Sherrell nodded and sighed before hanging up.

 **South Island Air Station**

Minutes after the launch, Rosemary and the remaining team members struggled to get Amadeus and Jules to the elevator. Once it reached the first floor, the larger of the riflemen picked the two wounded up and slung them over their shoulders and started to beat it out from the facility towards the airfield. One of them pointed upwards.

"What's that?" Bean asked as Rosemary watched the tungsten rod come down.

"That's not one of the rockets-" She said in confusion. "Go! Go!"

The rod burrowed down and struck at the center point between the four silo pods, causing the island to shudder and shake as if it were experiencing an earthquake.

Once they were at the vehicles, Rosemary ran between them, then she finally spotted a medic, grabbing him.

"Horatio Quack, regimental surgeon." The medic grimaced as she strong-armed him. "I would think there would be decorum even with this mutiny."

"Not much time, doctor." Rosemary led him to the two wounded Acornians. Quack knelt and looked at Amadeus shaking his head. "He'll need an operating theater for those injuries." Then he unslung his pack and started to work on Jules to stabilize him.

Rosemary looked up at the sky again, waiting intently when Amadeus grasped her leg. She knelt back down beside the other fox and took his hand.

"We failed, didn't we?" Amadeus asked weakly.

"I don't know." Rosemary looked over at the ruined facility and then back at him. "There hasn't been any sign of detonations. But something destroyed the facility and it wasn't one of the missiles. We would be dead."

Quack was clamping down the broken blood vessels in Jules' chest and grimaced. "Just barely missed the heart but there's still significant damage." He unpacked a blood bag and plunged the needle into the hedgehog's arm, holding it high and squeezing on the bag.

There was a loud roar of rocket engines as a shadow started to cast over them. Rosemary looked up and saw a strange craft starting to enter the atmosphere towards them. It seemed to level off and lower down towards the airfield. The craft was a battleship grey and, on each side, was a strange blue insignia of an olive branch above a profile of a planet. It seemed to hover directly over a gap in the ruined bombers before finally lowering down. A ramp started to open from the back.

Rosemary, Bean and Quack gaped as strange aliens wearing flecktarn camouflage uniforms and blue helmets exited. They had no fur and the average height was around 5'8", their skin white amongst them, some a darker complexion or even black-brown. They had rifles that looked more advanced than what the Acornians had and started to fan out. A group started to approach them, the senior of them pointing at the wounded. Two with white armbands and a red cross broke away, along with a shorter man with balding blonde-gray hair with no uniform, but a labjacket and a turtleneck approached. He had a large case with the same red cross on the side.

"Sie sehen aus wie Tiere." One of the uniformed medics said.

"Ja, das tun sie, nicht wahr?" The other said.

"Lass uns zur Arbeit gehen." The third man said.

"Ja Doktor Robotnik!" Both said in unison.

"What are they saying?" Bean asked.

"I don't know, Sergeant." Rosemary replied and the doctor looked at them in surprise.

"You speak English?" The doctor asked.

"English? No, Acornian." Rosemary said.

"We'll get to that curiosity later then." The man knelt beside Amadeus and pressed his hands to his face. "Ah. A rifle wound to the eye and glass. But-" He opened his case and pressed a small device to the fox's eye. "This will sting but it will stop the bleeding." There was a burning sensation in Amadeus' eye socket as the device activated a cautery system. Then he did the same to Amadeus' abdominal wound, pressing it in deep. A pained growl came up from the fox's throat. Then the man started to bring his attention to Jules as the medics with him started to attach their own IV lines and push medication.

"Standard human-sized doses, please." The doctor said. Then he looked at Rosemary. "Doctor Geralt Robotnik, United Nations Science Council consultant for xenobiology."

"Captain Rosemary Keiden of the Royal Army Artillery Corps, or what was left of it." Rosemary said as introduction. "Colonel Amadeus Prower of the 1st Royal Armored Guards and his executive officer, I think."

"Major Jules Ogilvie." The hedgehog said weakly.

"What exactly was going on here? This looks like a battle had taken place before we got here." Geralt said.

"The colonel was trying to stop our king from using his atomic weapons against the echidnas. But it seemed we failed, the king had these rockets and they launched." Rosemary said dejectedly.

"They didn't make it to their targets." Geralt said. "We detected the launches and shot them down."

"You shot them down? How? Why?" Rosemary asked.

"We have been watching your planet for some time, Captain. We are not here to invade or to take over. My people represent the United Nations of Earth." The scientist smiled at her and took her hands, squeezing them. "And I am happy to possibly be the first man to say this on this alien ground; we come in peace."


	4. Chapter 3: Life and Death

**Chapter 3**

 **Mobotropolis, Keplerian Republic**

 **October 16, 2092**

"Good morning, Dr. Robotnik." Amadeus said, standing up to take the human's hand as he entered the private room within the Republic Army Medical Center. Geralt Robotnik's head was now completely bald, sans his greying mustache. He shook the fox's hand and then focused his attention briefly on the eyepatch that was covering the fox's left eye.

"The answer is still no, eh General?" Geralt asked.

Amadeus flickered his remaining eye. "As always."

"Another day, perhaps. We will probably argue about a bionic eye until we are in our graves." Geralt sighed with good humor. Then he looked at the upright Rosemary Prower and took her left hand with a gentle squeeze. "Good morning Mary. How is our mother and soon-to-be-son?"

"Tired but he is not." The retired army captain turned teacher groaned as she pressed her hand to her bulging abdomen. "He seems to kick more when I haven't eaten."

"Forty and a half weeks." Geralt took out his tablet computer and looked over her records. Then he pointed it towards her abdomen and switched to a diagnostic imaging application. "No sign of distress from what I can see. Good weight reading albeit on the smaller side." Then he switched to the telemetry monitoring application. "Your vitals look good as well. I think we can have OB/GYN begin with inducing."

"Breakfast?" Rosemary asked.

"No, though you'll have fluids. We don't want you chucking on your boy, do we? After it is all over though, you may eat to your heart's content." The human even took out a small grape sucker from his pocket, waggling it. "Well, at least this won't do harm." He unwrapped it and held it out to her, getting a dirty look. But Rosemary took it into her mouth.

"Farfar!" A small female voice could be heard behind Geralt. He turned his head and suddenly felt two arms close around his leg. Turning slowly, Geralt reached down and lifted a blonde-haired girl of no more than three, wearing a blue dress.

"Ah, little barnbarn. Maria!" He smiled at the girl and rocked her in his arms. "I should have known you would find me as soon as I unwrapped a klubba. Ah, General? Would you mind fishing one out for me?"

Amadeus nodded and reached into Geralt's labcoat pocket to withdraw a yellow sucker, unwrapping it. She stared at the fox as he held it out to her. Before she took it, the little hand pressed up against his nose and scratched at it. Amadeus instinctively twitched his nose.

"Valp!" Maria Robotnik exclaimed.

"No, no. Not a puppy." Geralt smiled apologetically. "A räv, Maria. A räv. She keeps thinking every Keplerian like you is a puppy. Especially being around Poul's Malamute."

"She is adorable." Rosemary said, holding her hand out to Maria. Geralt moved closer and she took the girl's small hand, smiling. Then a tall, blond haired man entered with a dark haired, equally tall woman beside him. Geralt turned to face them.

"I'm sorry, father. She got away from us." The man said.

"Oh no harm, Poul." The woman slowly took Maria from his arms and slowly set her down.

"Your grandfather is not a candy machine," she admonished gently. "He has to take care of the people here."

"Well being in a hospital doesn't seem to discourage her at least." Amadeus observed. He knelt to eye level with Maria and blinked. "I promise you though, once my little boy is old enough you'll have him to treat as a valp. Just don't fatten him up." He wrapped his tail around her and tipped his hat before rising.

"Right." Geralt took out his tablet and made a request in the hospital system. "Well, the inducing team will start in about fifteen minutes. Let's give the Prowers some privacy, if we could please?"

"Of course." Noomi Robotnik replied, gently tugging at Maria's hand. "Let's go little one."

"Goodbye polisman!" Maria laughed softly as they walked out of the room. Amadeus straightened up and looked at Rosemary, who had an amused smile on her face.

"Nine months and a week. Finally, here." Rosemary said, taking her husband's hand.

"Not only did you bring me a republic to build but a child too." Amadeus reflected. "All of this, the young here are your children too. They may have made me a general, but I know truly who the platitudes should go to."

"I'm just happy to be teaching the children how the universe works now instead of how to blow it up." Rosemary said quietly. "We're fortunate also that the humans came as friends. Very fortunate."

"I'm still amazed at the pace things are going. Seven years and a modern power system discharged soldiers getting jobs on and off planet. These computers as they call them. Our little one is going to be growing up amongst it all, he will know more than us." Amadeus flickered his tongue out.

"As long as things continue on course." Rosemary said. "With our daring general looking after us." She reached out and stroked his nose like Maria, getting the same twitch. "You have no idea how happy you make me, Amadeus."

"You chose me though. Could have stayed in the Republic Army, perhaps with someone with both eyes, but you chose me." The fox ran his tongue out against her hand.

"There is no one that can stand up to you." Rosemary concluded, pulling his face in gently for a kiss.

 **9:24 AM Keplerian Capital Time**

New life finally came into the republic with a few careful shots of medication and an intensive procedure helped along by Geralt, an OB/GYN specialist and the nursing team. But the first thing that they had noticed other than the feeble wailing of the newborn fox was that he had a second tail.

"This didn't show very well on the scan." Geralt said in consultation with the inducing team while a nurse held the bundle of fox and blanket. "But it's functional. Is there a history of polycaudality with your families?" he asked the two foxes.

"Polycaudality?" Rosemary asked. "Multiple tails? Not in mine."

"Nor mine, though it's been heard of but rare." Amadeus chimed in.

"Hm." Geralt watched the OB/GYN press their stethoscope to the little fox's chest before giving a nod.

"Otherwise healthy in all respects. What is his name?" A nurse asked while the other slowly brought the newborn fox to set in Rosemary's arms.

"Miles Annorax." Amadeus said quietly, reaching out to stroke the little fox's ear. "Latin for soldier if I remember your text correctly. A human name seems fitting for him. Annorax for her father." Then his ears relaxed as Miles seemed to calm down in their presence.

 **November 21, 2100**

 **Skåne University Hospital**

 **Lund, Sweden**

A green flashing light upon the top of the red Ford Excalibur had gotten Geralt Robotnik through the knot of traffic that plugged up the streets in Lund. It was an entitlement for a physician, especially one with hospital privileges at a trauma center. He parked hastily near the emergency department and got out, tablet in hand as he quickly rushed in through the emergency entrance for staff.

"Professor Robotnik!" Amanda Palme, the chief resident for the emergency department spotted him and pointed him in the right direction to go.

"When did they arrive?" Geralt asked urgently.

"Thirty minutes ago. Mrs. Prower came by air ambulance from Sturup and the general brought him and his son by car."

"Thoughts?" Geralt was going into diagnosis mode.

"It's strange, late-stage toxicity from radiation poisoning." Palme described. "Nausea, diarrhea, fever, headache, extreme fatigue, bloody vomit, fur loss. White counts are very low, no response to neupogen, Prussian Blue, DTPA or potassium iodide. Liver and kidney functions are bad too."

"Have you found a source?" Geralt asked.

"We're still looking but her husband says that she shouldn't have been around anything like that. She's-" Palme answered before being cut off.

"A teacher now, yes. But previously she worked with weapons grade atomics." He stopped and then looked at the woman. "What about the son, the general? Any sign of sickness with them?"

"None that we can tell." Palme said. "Shall we have them checked?"

"Yes. But we'll assume unless there's a positive finding that the source is localized to her. Start parenteral nutrition, standard round of detox, continue transfusions until plasmapheresis can start. Also, if Amadeus is clear, type and match him with her for possible bone marrow donation. Otherwise get in touch with her family."

"What about the son?" Palme asked. Geralt shook his head. "Definitely not in guidelines. If we can't get a family match, check the local database with human donors." Fortunately, Keplerians and humans could cross donate blood and organs at least.

They entered Trauma Room 2 and Geralt didn't even notice Amadeus standing outside. The fox went in after him and then froze, staring at the humans that were working over Rosemary's body. The ECG monitor was making erratic beeps while a nurse was pressing down on her chest, making compressions.

"Blood's all sludged up." Dr. Erik Quist, the lead resident on the code growled as he stared at the dark red solid matter that was slowly churning into an intake line. "No matter how quickly we put it in, it's all sludged."

"Have you tried another point?" Geralt asked.

"Both arms, legs and neck." Quist grumbled. Geralt then drew up Rosemary's sheet, looking at her legs when Amadeus finally spoke.

"What's going on with her Gerry?!" The fox murmured. Geralt turned and frowned, seeing his friend standing there, arms shaking.

"You can't be in here Amadeus. Not like this." Geralt said quietly.

"Is she going to die?!" The fox raised his voice as he started to fidget, going towards the bed, getting looks from the staff. Geralt went for him, pinning his arms to his sides as Amadeus struggled.

"You have to let them work, Amadeus. We're doing what we can!"

"Damn you, that's my wife!" The fox continued to struggle, freeing an arm to backhand the human across the face. Geralt caught him by the wrist and used his weight to push him out towards the doors.

"Now you've gone too far!" Geralt bellowed. Amadeus continued to struggle until Geralt smacked him across the muzzle. "I will not have you fighting in there, especially in front of her like that!"

"I'm...I'm sorry-" Amadeus' voice went up an octave. Geralt then lowered his head, slowly letting go of him, mustache twitching with guilt.

"I should not have struck you. That was a barbaric thing to do to a friend and a patient's husband." He lowered his hands away and then took off his glasses, massaging his forehead. "Her condition is very critical, but we are going to do what we can to save her. Everything humanly possible, but even our technology has its limitations." He raised his head and looked the fox in the eye. "I cannot lie to you either and guarantee that we will succeed. If the worst happens, we have to think about Miles."

"I'll-I'll retire." Amadeus sputtered, his eye darting around. "I don't know though if I could do it. I've had my regrets, not being there all the time. The republic has relied on me for so much as well."

"The first duty is to family." Geralt said, squeezing the fox's shoulder. "I swear to you, I will try everything possible. I'm going to go back to her. All right?"

Amadeus held his breath for a few moments and then exhaled sharply.

"All right." The fox said resignedly. Geralt nodded and released his shoulder, walking back into Trauma 2. He looked upon the faces of the team and read more than what he would get from the monitors from their downcast expressions.

"Asystolic for the last few minutes now. No response to epinephrine or to compressions." Quist reported while he continued to press upon Rosemary's chest. A side door opened with a portable scanner being pushed in. The radiology technician attached the framing rails at points on the gurney, giving Quist time to attach a mechanical compression device to Rosemary's chest. The technician then started real-time analysis, starting at her head.

"She's gone. So much occlusion from the blood sludging, all these clots in the carotid alone, starved for blood since she lost consciousness." Geralt lamented while Palme stopped the code clock on her phone. He looked over at the frozen display, time of death at 5:22 PM. Then he walked over to the technician, staring at the holographic cross-sections that were appearing as the scanning beam ran back and forth. He recognized the damage done to the woman's organs and stepped back.

"Definitely radiation poisoning. All blood that has been sent to the lab is to be secured down in the morgue. All case personnel are to submit to exposure screening, including myself. I also want Field Marshal Prower taken aside and retested. Call Lund University and request a chemist as well as their senior pathology professor. Finally, request an inspector from Malmo." Geralt said, slowly bridging his hands together in finality.

The technician had shut down the scanner and began detaching the framework before placing it back on the cart and wheeled it back towards the side door. Geralt could hear someone going back through the main doors and speaking to Amadeus. He slowly turned to face the fox and took off his glasses, fidgeting with them with a sad sigh.

"She was set on this path well before coming in." The human said quietly. Amadeus looked at the flat tracings on the monitors and then back at Geralt, eye twitching.

"She's gone?" Amadeus instinctively reached up and started to chew on the middle knuckle of his right index finger. Then he started to walk towards the right side of the gurney, lowering his head down, pressing an ear to her mouth. Nothing but silence, even more while he moved his ear down to her chest, no movement, still no sound. Then he pressed his nose to Rosemary's face, blinking as hot tears fell from his eye. He tried to hold back, but the barriers that let Field Marshal Amadeus Prower watch men fall and die had collapsed. A harsh, feral screech came up from the fox's throat as he uncontrollably shook, cradling his dead wife's head.


	5. Chapter 4: Winter Of Our Discontent

**Chapter 4**

 **Mobotropolis, Keplerian Republic**

 **Thursday, December 23, 2100**

Amadeus fixed his eye upon the postmortem report that had been sent to Sweden's South Region Police District as well as the Keplerian Republic Federal Police and the Republic Army CID. He reached down and massaged his stomach, wearing a simple white shirt and black tie. Retirement had allowed him to draw upon his pension, and President Maximilian Acorn laid platitudes of sympathy at his feet. The former Crown Prince might have switched places with the fox were it not for the fact that he felt ill at ease with being a politician.

All that was left was the boy and the daily call to CID. The verdict of homicide by person or persons unknown was declared after Rosemary's autopsy. Radiation poisoning was confirmed, of the alpha wave variety. There had been a similar occurrence back in the early 2000s on Earth, conducted by the Russian FSB against a dissident, using polonium. Rosemary's death certainly looked similar but there was a vehement denial exchanged between the Russian, Swede and Keplerian ambassadors. There was no motive there, though another angle was considered in the echidnas.

They after all were secretly trained against the United Nations No-Contact Declaration by Russia to fight against the Kingdom of Acorn and Rosemary's work did in fact lead to the torturous death of echidna prisoners. However, it was not as if she was personally responsible, in fact she had sent the information that made Amadeus rebel. While Amadeus himself personally killed echidnas in combat, none seemed to declare any blood feud to him. Secrecy would not have made sense from an echidna, they were a prideful, honor-driven group.

Amadeus lowered the papers with a small shiver running down his back. He reached down and opened a drawer in his desk, pulling out a bottle of Scapa single malt. He poured a full snifter's worth and set the bottle on the desk, downing it with a harsh cough, pitching down towards the floor as more coughs came. Then his hands twitched while he sat up to pour another, choking the fiery yet smooth whiskey down. The fox rose up from his seat and shuffled over to a basement wall where two bookshelves run, split up by their wedding portrait.

He lowered the bottle down to the floor and reached out, closing his hands around the frame before lifting the portrait up from the hook that the backing wire was latched to. His eye lowered down to the gold furred vixen with her rust coloured hair spilling down. Blinking, he felt his face grow hot from a mixture of sadness and whiskey, turning away from the wall and limping over to his desk. He set the portrait down in the chair that faced his desk front. Then he went back to the wall, picking up the bottle to sit down behind his desk.

"I'm the one who was supposed to die, if either of us were to." Amadeus whispered quietly, ears lowering. "I spilled blood while you were just a scholar, a scientist. Why you, Mary? Why not me?" He picked up the bottle and poured another glass that he set down. Then he opened the long, middle drawer and looked down, pulling out his sidearm. Holding it in both hands, he carefully put his right hand around the grip, pulling the slide back. No round chambered as usual since they had Miles. He lowered his right thumb to the magazine release and pulled it out. Sure enough, eight rounds in place.

Amadeus sighed deeply and set the gun on top of the papers on his desk, starting to remove seven of the eight rounds in the magazine. He let them clatter and roll down into the open drawer. Then he ran the magazine back into the bottom of the grip and pulled the slide back, taking another drink. More coughing ensued, louder. He thought he heard footsteps above his head and waited. No, Miles was still on the bus home. He couldn't bring himself to consider, let alone do what he was thinking with his son home.

He set the gun aside and put the autopsy report back into the desk, kneeling to spin the combination dial for his desk's internal safe. He took out a new set of papers and carefully studied them. After Rosemary died, the field marshal naturally adjusted his last will and testament. The house and other property as well as the contents of his accounts were to be left to Miles but kept in trust until his 14th birthday. Verifying that everything appeared to be airtight, he put the papers back into the safe and took a sheet off from a notepad, scribbling down the combination, pinning it to the desk with a letter opener.

Now came the moment of truth. He picked up the gun and this time the bottle of scotch, tipping the open neck towards his mouth. Amadeus drank from it greedily until it was empty, feeling warmth enveloping his body, numbing to where he didn't feel his chest seize with the coughing that followed. He dropped the bottle, ears twitching from the sound it made when it shattered. Then he placed the gun's barrel under his chin, angled towards the inner portion of his head. He heard the scrambling of feet, finger curling around the trigger.

Jules Ogilvie panted as he hurried down the basement steps and bellowed, causing Amadeus' head to drop, along with his concentration. The hedgehog since his injuries in 2085 had retired but was offered a 'job' as groundskeeper by his former commander. The blue hedgehog stared at the fox, scrambling to the desk, despite the shards of glass that were scattered.

"I can't do it-" Amadeus faced Jules slowly and then tensed his finger on the trigger. Jules grabbed at his wrist and clamped down with his fingers with his left hand. Amadeus growled in pain from the heavier hedgehog's grip.

"Let it go, it is time for you to put aside the gun and live." Jules said quietly, feeling the fox's resistance. Amadeus fidgeted, looking at him in guilt before relaxing his fingers. Jules took the gun away and put it into the pocket of his jacket. "This is not the way it should be. Left alone to struggle like this. You need help, Colonel."

"Counseling? Psychiatrists?" Amadeus questioned.

"You need something to set your mind on. Perhaps you were mistaken with your retirement. You need that work, that structure and drive. But Miles needs a family as well." Jules went and grabbed the chair that sat beside the portrait, moving it beside Amadeus and sat down, holding the fox's hand. "Let me call Professor Robotnik. He will know what to do."

 **Thursday, December 30, 2100**

 **Mobotropolis, Keplerian Republic**

The eight-year old fox looked around his room, stripped of important possessions, which were packed in two cases, one a carry-on, and the other a larger roller. He had come home on that day from school, to find his father gone and Major Ogilvie waiting for him. The only explanation that he was given was that his father was ill and would be away for some time. Then to his surprise the next day, Geralt Robotnik had e-mailed an advance ticket to him with a brief explanation that he would be staying in Sweden with his wife and family.

The pale gold fox stared at himself in the mirror and adjusted his khaki-coloured necktie, tightening the knot. Then to his surprise, the door to his room opened. Miles turned his head, expecting Jules. Instead a human girl of eleven or twelve stood there, her long blonde hair running down her back with a red headband complimenting her white dress. He raised his ears in confusion, tilting his head.

"H-Hello there." Miles said quietly, muzzle flushed.

"You're even cuter than when I last saw you!" The girl strode in and smiled, holding both hands out, fingers twitching. Miles blinked, his ears staying all the way up. "Do you mind?" The girl asked. It took a few beats for her question to make sense and he couldn't help to shake his head. She got closer and scratched at the back of his ears, causing him to instinctively relax.

"We met before?" Miles asked, raising his tails up. The girl nodded and then brought her right hand in front of his face, squeezing her index finger and thumb together.

"You were very small, but then again so was I." The girl closed her eyes and embraced him, causing his muzzle to grow hot with embarrassment. "My name is Maria, Maria Robotnik."

"Professor Robotnik's daughter?" Miles asked, getting a shake of the head in return.

"Granddaughter." Maria corrected, then she slowly let go. "I'm sorry about your father, with all that's gone on. Now you're moving off-world at the drop of a hat. But you'll like Sweden and our school."

"Our school?" Miles asked.

"Bladins International, where I go as well." Maria explained, pointing to a red scarf as well as her hairband. "Considered to be the best school in Sweden. From what Grandfather says, you'd fit right in." Then she eyed the wall behind him, taking note of plaques from school competitions. "Electronics, mathematics and physics hm? What are you planning to do as an adult?"

"I'm going to be an electrical engineer." Miles declared.

"Applied science. I have some biology prizes myself. I'm going to go to medical school when I'm done. Another Dr. Robotnik." Maria smiled.

"How many are there?" Miles asked.

"Well, there is just Grandfather and cousin Ovi for now." Maria explained. "At least living, but we have a connection to the Watson family through Grandfather's mother."

"The Watsons of IBM?" Miles flickered his ears.

"A nice shot in the dark but no. You know about DNA of course." Maria said, pressing a finger to his nose. "One of the people that determined its structure was a Watson. Dr. James Watson won the Nobel Prize. In fact, it's his holiday home that Grandfather inherited."

"And you are staying there too?" The fox asked.

"From time to time, it lets my parents work and Grandmother likes the company." Maria answered.

Jules walked into the room and nodded to Miles and then Maria.

"Ready to go then, Miles?" The hedgehog asked.

"I'm ready. Father knows where I will be?" Miles asked.

"Of course. He may call of course and possibly come to see you when he's well." Jules said. Then he knelt forward slightly. "May I take your bags out to the Professor's car?"

"Yes." Then Miles walked up to the hedgehog and blinked, offering his hand. "Thank you, Major Ogilvie. For everything, I'm going to miss you."

"That will make two of us." Jules took the fox's hand and shook it. Then he took up the two cases, the carry-on in one hand, the main one by its handle, rolling it out. As soon as he was out of view, he frowned. He didn't like misleading the fox, especially as to how 'sick' his father was or even to the timeframe. Amadeus was going to be in an Army psychiatric facility for some time and afterwards, he was probably going to reactivate his commission.

At least this way, the Robotniks were familiar and it wasn't as if he was going to some sort of backwater. This was _Earth_ and the many sights, technological marvels and people there were awe-inspiring for him and he was no spring hedgehog. For a boy like Miles, it would be the trip of a lifetime, a sort of salve. Then there was the girl; she seemed to be as sharp as Miles, if not more. Perhaps she would be the catalyst to having him leave his room more often.

 **Kepler-22B Upper Atmosphere**

Scandinavian Airlines Flight X-31 was assigned to one of its fleet's Space-X Grey Wyvern hybrid spaceplanes. Taking off like a normal aircraft, once it got to a certain altitude, large rocket-assist boosters kicked in until their liquid fuel was expended. Miles watched as the two boosters were released and tumbled back down, burning up in the process. Then he looked from his seat towards the void of space. His first trip into space, unfolding before his eyes, a simple cruise. Though sometimes he wondered if one day both human and Keplerian would end up fighting other aliens, like the Bugs from Starship Troopers, one of the many physical books tucked away in his carry-on.

"Guests, this is your captain speaking." A male voice came across the overhead speakers. "SAS Flight X-31 is leaving Kepler-22B and making its approach towards the Warp Gate. If you look at the external camera feeds, you will notice a military craft approaching us." There was a pause before the captain continued. "Identified as the United States Space Navy destroyers _Ward_ and _Dilmore_. All flights going to the Warp Gate are escorted for your security, all is normal."

Miles looked down at the external camera feed that was available on his tablet and zoomed in with a pinching motion on the screen. There was, in fact, a craft larger than the Grey Wyvern but nowhere the size of a battleship or even a cruiser. He could see the United States flag illuminated on the side, along with the _Ward_ 's hull number of DDS-767. _Dilmore_ was the same class but had the hull number of DDS-664. From the Jane's Fighting Ships app on his tablet, he was able to pull up specifics of their class, the _Blish_ class. With their fusion drive and ion thrusters, railguns and kinetic torpedoes, they were lean and mean like their seaborne counterparts. Any pirate or terrorist whether human or Acornian that tried to terrorize the shipping lane to Earth would have a bad day going up against one, and they tended to operate in packs of two.

He switched out of the guidebook portion of Jane's and started to look through the news section. Rumor had it, the Keplerian Republic would soon field its own space navy, several were being designed in the United Kingdom, based on existing Royal Space Navy designs. Chief among them would be the Dreadnought class BB-1. Miles tapped on a related news post from the BBC website, looking at photos from the dockyard taken by their drones. A poll on the side asked what visitors thought the ship would be called. Of course, there were some joke entries like Spacey McSpaceface but of the true answers: Warspite, Victory and King Charles III were the most popular. No matter what was chosen, Britain was enjoying the economic boon that their fledgling ally was providing them.

"First time through the Gate, right?" Maria asked from his left side. He looked at her with a nod.

"I have to admit the first time was a bit scary." Maria held up her own tablet which was showing the external camera views. Miles switched back to them reflexively and fixed his eyes upon the swirling multicoloured wormhole that they were steadily approaching. "When you're in a spaceplane like this, it makes you wonder whether it is strong enough to make it through."

"Well if the Space Shuttle was able to make it through for as many times as it did, these probably coast through like a dream." Miles said, leaning back in his seat. "Humans have made some very amazing things. I mean the ARK is one thing but the Warp Gate itself." He whistled appreciatively. "I'd love to see the Chaos Reactor. All it takes is seven special gems and you have the power to open a wormhole. I'm surprised you don't make more of them."

"I'm afraid I will have to disappoint you slightly regarding human industrial capability." Geralt said from the seat ahead of him. "Humans didn't create the Chaos Emeralds. If anything, they came from Kepler-22B. Your grandfather Erwyn was there at Floating Island, in the Royal Army. Apparently, the echidnas were guarding them along with this Master Emerald. Unseating them created some sort of seismic activity that made the island fall apart into the ocean. Apparently, Woods Hole is still looking for the Master Emerald."

"Do you think they'll find it one of these days?" Miles asked.

"They found _Titanic_." Geralt mused with a smile.

"And if they find it, what do you think they'll do with it?" The fox pressed.

"Study it, I would assume. Some theories exist to where it might have had a deliberate part in the displacement of the Chaos Emeralds to Earth. Strange humancentric concepts. Be careful not to let our achievements blind you, Miles. It took us several thousand years, a lot of them making mistakes to get where we are now. We are not perfect, in fact perfection is likely something that no race can achieve." Geralt said.

"So, then what are we trying to achieve?" Miles asked, looking back down at his tablet with raised ears.

"A better universe, which is not necessarily the same as seeking perfection. People obsessed with seeking perfection have or nearly brought ruin to many." Geralt cautioned.

"Guests, this is your captain again." The male voice from earlier came back onto the overhead speakers. "We are preparing to enter the Warp Gate; only essential personnel are to remain unseated if absolutely necessary. We recommend that those of you with epilepsy or similar conditions not to view the external camera feed. This flight is on time for arrival to Stockholm within the next few hours."

 **Regementsgatan 116**

 **Malmö, Sweden, Earth**

After arriving in Stockholm, Geralt had led Maria and Miles to his Ford Excalibur and took them on a seven hour drive southwest to Malmo by the E20 and E4 highways. As they passed through villages, Miles looked out the windows at the snow covered building and landscapes. Outside of Helsingborg, they switched to the South E6 where Miles could see the Øresund strait which separated Denmark and Sweden. There was also the Øresund Bridge that allowed one to travel back and forth between Copenhagen and Malmö.

The E6 gave way to the Burlövsbron, then became the Stockholmsvägen and then the Hornsgatan as Geralt stayed to the right. at the fork. Finally came the Drottninggatan which was also Regementsgatan. They stopped in front of a gated property near where Regementsgatan crossed Adolf Fredriksgatan. Geralt got out to get Miles' bag in the trunk. Then the two children exited as well while Geralt pointed his key fob at the gates and pressed a button, causing them to part. Miles yawned quietly, watching his breath come out in a white cloud.

They walked up the stone path to the house which had been built in 1867. The original estate covered three blocks. It had changed hands in 1963 after the previous owners sold it to Dr. James Watson and Francis Crick. As Crick later moved to the United States, the two amicably decided to transfer the property wholly to Watson. After a minor financial crisis, Watson had thought he would have to sell the property but later found himself in better straits. The home later passed to his son Duncan, then granddaughter Juliana who married a local Swede, Wulf Robotnik, Geralt's parents.

When the trio arrived at the vast wooden doors, they parted to reveal a smiling woman close to Geralt's age, with greying brunette hair. She opened her arms and Maria stepped up to her, hugging her. "Grandmother!"

Johanna Robotnik beamed and then looked back at the fox, gesturing to him. "Come now, we can't have you boys catching cold out here." Miles nodded and followed Geralt in. He glanced around in the entrance hall while Geralt took off his coat and let the fox's case sit beside him.

"How was your time on 22-B?" Johanna asked, unraveling her husband's scarf.

"Quiet and uneventful." Geralt looked down at Johanna then tilted his head towards the dining room. "I need to talk to you, Amadeus is in a very rough shape."

"Of course. Maria!" Johanna raised her voice to where it was audible. "Would you please show Miles to his room?"

Maria was in the process of taking off her shoes, which the fox did as well after a beat. Then she gripped the handle of his case, starting to pull it up the stairs. He kicked his shoes off and bounded up to follow her, also taking the handle. She would lead him up to the third floor, taking a slight turn to the left before opening a door across from what Miles figured to be the master bedroom. She set the case down and stood beside the fox.

"You look tired." Maria blinked and ran a hand against the back of his head. "Jet lag and fast food don't mix very well."

"I am." Miles blinked slowly as he moved closer to the bed. "I'll get started on unpacking when I wake up."

"Don't worry about it. You're home now." The girl moved up behind him and gently tugged on the sleeves of his jacket, freeing him from it and letting it drop to the floor. Tails crawled into the bed and rolled to rest on his left side. He slowly closed his eyes while Maria watched him, finally reaching out to pet the top of his head, a tired snort coming from his nose.


	6. Chapter 5: Determined Duty

**Chapter 5**

 **Robotnik Family Home**

 **Malmo, Sweden**

 **Earth**

 **Tuesday, June 15, 2106**

He could feel Maria's hand against the top of his head again. Stirring, Miles opened his eyes slowly and grunted. Then he gave a glance at the clock sitting on the nightstand and finally over at Maria. She drew her hand back to her side and waited for him to get up, a lanyard with her Lund University identification card hung around her neck. The thirteen-year-old fox finally sat up and put his feet into his house slippers, groaning as he stood. Growing pains all around for the last two years.

He still did not come up to Maria's 5'6" but he would likely catch up. According to Geralt, he would likely cap out at around 5'11" or perhaps a full 6. In any event at least one element of conventional teenage life was coming to an end for him; high school. Maria turned her head as he removed his shirt and tossed it into a basket, padding over to his closet to pull out white button-up shirt and black slacks that hung together on one hanger. He took off his slippers and sat on the other side of the bed from where he had slept and got out of his pajama pants as well, pulling on the slacks and the shirt, buttoning it first before securing the pants.

As he rose, Maria finally turned around, familiar with the ritual as he grabbed a red Bladins necktie and raised his collar, putting the tie down under it before cinching it up and lowering the collar. Above the pocket was the monogram for the school and in red was "Prower – Elektronikteknik". Maria had last worn her uniform two years ago in 2104 and now she had cast that aside for a dark blue turtleneck and denim jeans.

"Last full day of school." Maria said quietly, putting a hand on his shoulder. Miles nodded with a small yawn. "The last time I will get to take you also. Then what after that?"

The fox swallowed tentatively and raised his tails up as he considered the question.

"I thought I would go into Skane, get my bachelor's in electronic engineering and find work somewhere, maybe work for Ovi." Miles answered, raising his ears.

"You know, there is more to Earth than just Sweden." Maria chided him. Then she brought her arms around his neck and rested her chin between his ears. "But if it is what you want, I'm sure you will do fine. Probably end up going from my cousin's lab to Tesla or SpaceX, something big."

"As if you won't be doing big things yourself, _Doctor_ Robotnik." Miles countered with a small smile. "Last year of premed, then medical school. Taking people's lives in your hands. Your work is going to be riskier than mine."

"Equally rewarding though for both of us." Maria blinked as the fox raised his head up, nose pressing against her lower jaw.

"Well I'll at least get to see you at Skane, share a lunch." Miles said.

"You would be spoiling me." Maria sighed, reaching down to tickle his chin. "You are such a puppy, Miles Prower."

The fox's face remained flush as he started to break away from her. He reached for his bookbag and checked the interior, confirming that his tablet was in there among other things.

"Ready to go, then." Miles said quietly.

"I will be at the car." Maria replied with a nod, walking out of his room. This left Miles alone in his room, he sighed quietly and looked at himself at a mirror. The flush was still on his muzzle from her proximity to him earlier. The eleven-year-old girl was now a young woman of sixteen, soon seventeen. He felt odd around her and realized soon that it was a combination of new elements to his age as well as something he dared not to voice aloud, especially to her.

Not just out of the idea of embarrassment but worse, denial. Why put one's head in the guillotine when they can just avoid it altogether? He left his room and traveled down the staircase to the front door, opening it to bound out down the stone path to the gate, where Maria's 2102 NEVS 9-3 sat before. The fox walked up to the gate and pressed the unlock code into a pad, watching as it slid back. Then he opened the passenger side door, settling in before she took off towards Bladins.

 **2:50 PM**

 **Regementsgatan 116**

Miles had returned from his last day of school after breaking off from the Coop Nara grocery with one of the other humans of his class, Rene Hart. Bottles of unopened Cuba Cola were in his bag, an open one in hand as he entered the gate at Regementsgatan 116 with a small sigh. This was it then, no more compulsory school at least. Now he could finally start applying to colleges, perhaps even take part in summer break.

Geralt was sitting in a lawn chair with an unlit cigar in hand. Upon sighting the fox, he greeted him with a wave to the empty chair next to him. Miles could make something out in his lap, but he didn't take too much note of it. He lowered his bag down to the grass to the left of the offered chair. Then he sat down, surprised to find a cigar being offered to him.

"Aren't I four months early before I can start smoking?" The fox asked, both ears rose.

"You are but you are finished with school, with distinction." Geralt mused. Miles took the cigar and sniffed at it, putting it between his teeth. Geralt lit a match and lit it for him before lighting his own. Miles inhaled slowly and relaxed, staring at the trees before them. "So, then what is next?"

"College applications I think." Miles replied, finally looking over at what sat in the human's lap. He made out the stamped return address of the Keplerian Republic General Staff Office and his own name and address written in the center. Geralt looked down as well, realizing that he noticed and then held the envelope out.

"Arrived today, but I did not open it." Geralt said.

Miles took it and slowly opened it, removing a perfectly folded letter. Either computer or typewriter wrote it, but the signature was by pen. It went as follows:

Field Marshal Amadeus Prower, AKR

9999 General Staff Office

Mobotropolis

M-G01 001

Kepler-22B

Miles Prower

Regementsgatan 116

217 74 Malmo

Sweden

Earth

Greetings Mr. Prower,

It is to this Office's attention that you will have finished your compulsory education in Sweden today and have your graduation ceremony on the weekend. It is the intention of this letter to advise you of the General Staff Office's interest in you considering your future in the Republic Forces. We of the Prower family have served in some capacity for several generations.

A career in the Army of the Keplerian Republic would be suggestible. As an officer you will have the privilege to lead men and women as well as to attend the Republic Military Academy. Your contribution of time and service will carry on this tradition that we are expected to follow.

When you are ready to begin, present yourself to the General Staff Office and I will make the necessary arrangements to place you into the next class at the Academy.

Regards,

Field Marshal Amadeus E. Prower, AKR

Chief of the General Staff

Field Marshal, Army of the Keplerian Republic

The fox stared at the letter, re-reading a few times. Then he raised his head up in incredulity.

"My father sent a letter and seems to expect me to join the Republic Army as an officer." Miles said, wrinkling his nose.

"But that is not what you want, of course." Geralt observed.

"I was meant to work on robots and computers, not to lead people into battle." The fox growled softly, looking back at the letter. "Not to be his successor. Haven't we had enough soldiers?"

"I have to admit that I am surprised myself. I would have thought he would have fostered your engineering skills and let you follow your own path." Geralt said, lifting his cigar up to his mouth.

"I would have thought too, but then again I have not seen him since coming here. Not even after he got out of the hospital." Miles lowered his ears.

"If you would rather be an engineer then be an engineer." Geralt said, puffing on his cigar slowly.

"He speaks of obligations though. If only Mother were still alive, well I'm not sure if I would be facing this sort of dilemma." Miles folded the letter up with a low growl. "I could serve the Republic, I have no qualms with that. But this way, it seems so predetermined. How could I lead in Father's own branch? How could I be taken seriously? I couldn't be, truly."

"What of the other branches then?" Geralt asked.

"I certainly wouldn't want anything terrestrial, the Army of all. The Air Force is too limiting as well as the regular Navy. If I were to join it would be in the Space Navy. I mean that's the newest force and there's more to see out there. Father can't really grease any wheels in there, either." Miles thought aloud.

"In any event, I would take the time to think and decompress. You're still a boy of thirteen. Keplerian majority is not until fourteen and if you change your mind and want to make a clean break of it, there are ways. Unpleasant where your father is concerned but they exist." Geralt advised.

"I figured as much." A lackluster smile formed on the fox's muzzle. "He doesn't even acknowledge me by my first name except in an address. Otherwise it's just 'Mister Prower'. Going back in had to be the worst decision he could have made. Why couldn't he have just sat at home or go work at a defense contractor? Fuck!" He stood up and clenched the letter with his left hand, putting the cigar back into his mouth as he paced around the lawn, smoking furiously with Geralt watching, shaking his head. Why indeed?

 **Saturday, October 16, 2106**

Amadeus grumbled as he got out of the rental car that was ordered by the General Staff Office. The driver was a staff second lieutenant that was essentially a minder and secretary. Antoine D'Coolette pulled at the collar of his uniform shirt and shivered even in his jacket. It wasn't just from the cool autumn but perpetual nervousness around the field marshal. After all, he was plucked from the Military Academy after completion, making it at least to the top ten of his class despite ridicule for being a relative of the dead Michel D'Coolette.

That name even in the new Republic Army carried the weight of incompetence and shortsightedness. Some even gave the dead Major General the nickname of "the Acornian Goering". So, when he studied, he had to work twice as hard to even get the time of day. But when Field Marshal Prower called him into his office to be his staff adjutant, fortunes seemed to change, even though the aging fox sometimes terrified him.

There was also a degree of guilt, for he had to be the one to type the letter that found its way into Miles' hands months ago. Amadeus had knowledge of computers of course but passed the job off onto him even though it could have been handwritten. The only personal touch he had given to it was the signature. Even as it was dictated to him and printed, he felt like tearing the paper up and deleting the file. Orders were orders though and a father's advice to his son was their own business.

The coyote made certain to stay behind the fox as he shuffled across the stone walkway, marshal's baton in hand. He then blinked as Amadeus looked up at something or more precisely, someone looking at them from a balcony. Maria Robotnik stood there in a blue dress and jacket with her arms crossed, staring back at the fox before noticing the door behind her had opened.

Miles strode out and had the pipe she had given him earlier in the day between his teeth. The briar pipe was a straight-stemmed billiard and the bowl was packed with one of the blends from an assortment of sampler tins. He lit it with a match and joined her side, realizing whom she was looking down upon.

"I thought he was a nice man when I first met him." Maria lamented quietly. "Well, I also thought he was a policeman, but I was quite small. He looks like he is coming to summon you for tax court rather than your birthday."

"Accurate." Miles said, placing his hands on the railing as he stared down at the two.

"Have you made a decision?" Maria asked, looking at him.

"Mmhm." Miles replied nonchalantly.

"May I ask what it is?"

"I'm going to join the Space Navy." Miles declared. That made Maria's face pinken.

"What about your college prospects? I thought you were going to go to Skane." Her eyebrows shot up in confusion.

"I'll still be able to study what I want but I'll also be able to serve on my own terms. I've had several months to think about it. In a way he's right, it is tradition. But I'll do it with my own knowledge to guide me. I don't need to be mollycoddled." Miles growled softly.

"I-" Maria looked upon his face and saw the determination on it. In one way she felt proud that he was sticking to his guns, but there was also disappointment. He was still appeasing his father this way and really, who forced their son to make this decision, especially at this age? Did this really fit him? One look at the two-tailed fox, was there really a spacer in there? Would this be the last time she might see him? Sure, the Space Navy was still in its infancy and likely would not stray farther than the Kepler-22 or Sol systems and would be working with Earth space services but there was so much that could happen.

Truth to be told, Maria would miss him. Finding out that he died in a training accident or got badly injured in some mishap wouldn't do well for her. After all, how long were they close to each other for? Though there was also a small feeling of apprehension, of insecurity. Maria knew she fetched looks from men; she certainly got them back in school and premed. But those relationships that she had usually went down in flames. She also noticed that on occasion when Miles heard about them, he would button up. In some rare cases, he even had a flash of anger on his face. He rarely got that way and, on those occasions, where she saw it, it was largely from some technical project that needed some "percussive encouragement".

She swallowed and lowered her eyes. Perhaps this entry into the Space Navy allowed him a way to bow out from speaking his mind to her. She had her suspicions about why he was so tight-lipped and that ended up leading her on a cycle of worried thoughts and false trails. What if he did seek her? She was 17 to his 14 but he was at majority according to Keplerian law. He was a Keplerian citizen on visa here and with that razor-sharp intelligence, Miles certainly seemed like he was beyond that age.

What if he didn't and she was going on a dangerous path of conjecture? Was she possibly harboring something hidden for _him_? Maria held her breath for a few moments. She couldn't deny that despite his alien origins, he was strikingly handsome. But he didn't seek any of the girls of his age, human or Keplerian. That had always mystified her.

"I thought you would be going to Skane." Maria finished quietly. "You said that's what you originally wanted to do."

"In another time, I would have." Miles lowered his pipe from his mouth and sighed. "But I may as well get this out of my system. Who knows, this may end with me burning out and back on plan."

"You wouldn't dare to allow that to happen." Maria reached out and took his hand, squeezing it. "I know you better than that, Miles."

The fox looked up at Maria's face and squeezed back before taking his hand away to press it to her cheek. He lowered his ears and looked into her eyes.

"You certainly do. That's why I-" The fox hesitated for a moment and swallowed with Maria following his mouth with her gaze. Then his ears continued to flatten. "I'm going to miss you, Maria."

Maria's eyes widened as she caught the glistening film of moisture in his eyes as he turned away from her, making for the door. She watched him disappear, tails and all back into the house before facing forward, pulling her coat closer to her, closing her eyes.


	7. Chapter 6: Britannia Royal Naval College

**Chapter 6**

 **Britannia Royal Navy College**

 **Dartmouth, Devon, England**

 **United Kingdom**

 **Thursday, June 30, 2107**

To his surprise after completing the entrance examination, Miles found himself back on a spaceplane bound for Earth, this time arriving at Heathrow and passing through customs with a special visa designating him as a member of the Keplerian Forces. From there he had taken a bus to Gosport in Hampshire where he stood before a specialized version of the Admiralty Interview Board meant for Keplerian officer cadets. After staying on site for several days, he was given new orders to report to Dartmouth.

On arrival he had gotten his kit and found himself in the white shirt, black slacks and navy-blue beret of an officer cadet. Then he and the others in his class, the majority Keplerian but also some human, assembled to be met by the superintendent as well as a large echidna in the uniform of a rating.

"Cadets, welcome to Britannia Royal Navy College." Captain James Jago said at the podium. "The College has had its ups and downs, closing for a time back in the early 21st century. But as the Navy adjusted, it has been in continuous operation since its reopening. With the investment by the Keplerian government, we have established BRNC to train the future officers of the Keplerian Space Navy. You will by agreement be considered part of His Majesty's Royal Naval Reserves until completion. You will train aboard British ships and gain understanding of the tenants of leadership. Chief Petty Officer Knuckles will be your drillmaster. He is a Master-at-Arms and is an expert in discipline."

A black furred wolf with red and green heterochromatic eyes approached the podium after Jago stepped back. He had the rank of captain as well and stared out at the assembled cadets, seeming to pause at the sight of the fox.

"Cadets, I am Captain Crow Seetan, formerly of the Keplerian Navy. I recently completed refresher training at BRNC myself to transition to the Space Navy. I will be your class advisor. If you need advice about assistance with your studies or your career track, my door is open to you. By being here, you are already part of an elite group. Look to each man or woman to your left and right. You were carefully chosen after interviews and exams. After your three or four years here, you will upon success be ready to serve as an officer aboard our ships. You will study the laws of space, how to conduct yourselves as officers and gentlebeings. Being an officer comes with status, prestige but also grave responsibility. The ratings under your charge will look to you for leadership. Never forget that your first duty is to the mission you undertake, but also to them. A good officer will reinforce a rating's pride in the Space Navy. A bad one will degrade that pride and possibly present hazard. Do not allow yourself to become a bad officer. Study hard and keep yourself fit, both mentally and physically. I look forward to seeing you all graduate." Seetan declared.

He then rendered a salute which the entire class matched almost in unison. Miles couldn't help but to think that he was being stared at again by the wolf. After they lowered their arms, Knuckles stepped down from the stage area and stood at the head of the formation.

"All right cadets turn out to your rooms. Change into physical training gear and return here at 1500 hours. We will begin exercise, then you will meet with Captain Seetan one on one in rotation before dinner. Afterwards will be study hours. All first-year cadets will follow the same training regimen which starts tomorrow! Right then? Move out!" The echidna bellowed.

 **Captain Seetan's Office**

After two hours of exercise, Miles was sent back to his room to change into his Blue No. 2 dress uniform. He waited in line with others that were closely surnamed in section by alphabet. When his time came, he was led into the office by a red-haired, cream coloured canine woman. Seetan rose from his desk and saluted, which the fox returned.

"Thank you Alyxz." The wolf said. The woman smiled and walked out. "Take a seat Prower, you can remove your cap."

The fox walked up to the chair across from Seetan's desk and removed his hat, setting it down in his lap. Seetan sat on the corner of his desk and regarded him.

"Officer Cadet Miles A. Prower, Amadeus Prower's son. Large boots to step into, or not from what I've heard. Army life's not for you, eh?" Seetan mused.

"No, sir. Respectfully, I may be my father's son, but I am here on my own merit. I chose the Space Navy for its fit with my want of a technical specialty as well as the ability to prove myself without having to rely on name alone." Miles said.

"A self-starter, respectable. So, have you determined what career track you are wanting to follow?" Seetan asked.

"I've taken time to consider it, yes. I am interested in becoming an Information Warfare Officer." Miles replied.

"An IWO. Close relationship to the Communications Officer. Responsible for communications and computer security. Encryption, decryption, firewalls, malware detection, removal and leverage. You've come in without a degree, but you've scored highly in technology aptitude. Think you can keep up with the academics?" Seetan asked.

"Yes, sir. I'm also interested in mathematics, physics and history." Miles said. "Truth be told, I couldn't wait to get into this. I like learning, especially when there is a challenge before me."

"You've opted for the Accelerated Program as well. Three years, essentially your second year will be the combination of the Standard Program's second and third year. Suppose you'll be gunning for the bloody Superintendent's Trophy." Seetan smiled.

"If that is where I place, it's where I place, Captain." Miles answered.

"I see a lot of potential in you Prower, I also see a bit of fire in your eyes." Seetan leaned in. "Well, make sure the flames do not die out. As you're one of the Youngers of course, you'll be treated like the adults. That means smoking and rum privileges. See to it that you don't get too knackered before exams. Any questions for me?"

"Not that I can think of, Captain. But thank you." Miles said after a swallow.

"Right. Pleasure meeting you, Prower." Seetan offered his hand which the fox shook. "Dismissed then. Have Alyxz call the next in."

Miles rose and replaced his cap, giving a final salute, which was returned and walked out. He looked at Alyxz and walked up to her. "The Captain wishes for the next cadet."

"Thank you, Mr. Prower." Alyxz gave him a pat on the shoulder. "Alyxz Marenwolf by the way, the Captain's secretary."

"A pleasure, ma'am." The fox bowed before walking off to prepare for dinner.

 **Skane University Hospital**

 **Sunday, August 28, 2107**

After a quick return home to check on her apartment, second-year medical student Maria Robotnik had collected her mail and returned to the hospital for lunch. Sorting through the envelopes, she was surprised to see a letter postmarked as followed:

Cdt. Miles Prower, RNR/KRSN

Britannia Royal Naval College

South Devon Area Of Outstanding National Beauty (AONB), College Way

Dartmouth TQ6 0HJ

United Kingdom

To:

Maria Robotnik

Skane University Hospital

Getingevägen 4

221 41 Lund

Sweden

Maria opened the envelope and found a handwritten letter as well as a photograph. She looked at the photo first, the fox standing with his arms behind his back in his Blue No. 2 dress. Then she took a sip of her coffee before reading the letter.

Dear Miss Robotnik,

I'm sorry for not writing you sooner since your 18th birthday, I have been following my studies intently as I have no doubt that you have as well. How goes medical school? Hopefully more sedate than what I have been going through. Physical fitness in the morning and afternoon, sometimes at night while getting familiar with the basics of naval affairs. There's quite a bit of commonality with seafaring, in fact I've learned a bit of that as well. That's British tradition for you, I'd wager.

I must admit, I miss the Professor and Johanna, Ovi and you terribly. Father has barely written a word, I suspect he is still sore about my choice of service, but he can get over it. In the end, it will be worth it. I'll be able to make my own way with what I'm learning. But in the end, you're learning far more important things. I heard that you're wanting to become a surgeon! That's a tremendous challenge but I know you'll meet it. You're an incredibly sharp lady, no doubt about it.

If you would like to write me, the return address can be used. Or I suppose you can e-mail me at .uk

Regards,

Cadet Miles Prower, RSN/KRSN

P.S. They've given me the nickname of Tails. Also, I'm sorry to say I've lost my Swedish tinge, I've picked up the West Country accent.

Maria re-read the letter several times before finally setting it down. She looked around the staff lounge before hastily finishing her coffee, rising and slipping the letter and photo into the left pocket of her labjacket. She reached up to adjust her rectangular-framed glasses and then put the empty cup into the trash before scooping her bag up to leave, intent on preparing for her next class.

 **Britannia Royal Naval College**

 **Wednesday, August 31, 2107**

Fire raged all around inside of the corridors of the training ship _Hindustan_ , but this was not an unexpected event, though the sweltering conditions within were all too real. Miles climbed into the fireproof bunker gear that was nearest to him and had a yellow helmet on his head and a specially made facemask which could accommodate both Keplerian and human alike. He engaged his extinguisher and started to attack the fires in the next compartment, the hiss of the respirator amongst the noise that his acute ears could pick up. That was when he heard a groan as one of the other cadets started to stumble forward.

He reached out and grabbed the cadet by their belt to stabilize them, then felt their body becoming dangerously slack as deadweight. He reattached the extinguisher to his belt and looped both arms under the falling cadet, starting to drag them back.

"Casualty coming out!" The fox barked into his mask's microphone while others made space or moved around him while he drug the cadet towards the open gangway where they had entered. Once they were outside, he could hear a coughing and sputtering. He knelt and took the cadet's mask off, a reddish coloured wolf staring up at him.

"That's why you ensure you have a good seal before going in there. You'll be all right after some time out here." The simulation supervisor murmured, checking the camera feeds on his tablet. Then he reached into a large Igloo chest and tossed two bottles of water towards the fox, which caught them both with his tails.

"Nice trick." The supervisor raised an eyebrow. "So that's why they call you Tails."

"It's useful." Miles heard another cough as the wolf started to sit up. "Easy, mate. Smoke inhalation almost went out on us." He dropped the bottle held by his right tail in the wolf's lap.

"Recognized a man in danger, got him to safety and performed a proper assessment. Not bad, Prower. Did fairly well with the damage control simulator overall." The wolf said.

Miles blinked and then stared at the wolf, eyes narrowing.

"You didn't pass out, that was a test." The fox flickered an ear as he uncapped his own bottle before drinking.

"Had to throw a wrench in there somewhere, Prower." The supervisor said.

"Cheer up, they picked you at random." The wolf laughed and clapped him on the back. "Once we're in our second year with walking privileges, I'll get you a drink. I'm good for my word. Name's Buddy."

"Nickname or actual name?" Miles asked.

"Actual name, I haven't lived it down since I got here." Buddy mused, taking another drink. "Then again I guess you know the feeling. Field marshal's kid, what made you decide to come here?"

"It was either making things work on my own brains and merit here or being an Army brat. Besides, I'm not going to see what's up there flying a desk down on 22B unless we have some sort of interplanetary war." Miles explained.

"Honest kid, one can respect that." Buddy started to rise to his feet, the fox matching him as they tossed their empty bottles into a bin. "Well, that fire isn't going to put itself out at this rate." He pressed his mask back on and this time Miles noticed it was sealed correctly, closing his own back up before they marched forward back into the _Hindustan_.

 **Thursday, January 12, 2108**

 **Royal Marines Commando Training Centre**

 **Lympstone, Devon, England**

 **United Kingdom**

"Welcome to the Endurance Course." Sergeant Ewan Steele announced to the assembled officer cadets from BRNC. Miles kept his eyes forward as Steele gestured towards the path they were soon going to take off on. "This is a six-mile course that Marines run to test their fitness and as the name suggests, their endurance. No offence to you Jacks, but we understand you're not bootnecks so instead of expecting you to complete this test in 72 minutes, you must complete it within 90."

Steele took up a tablet from a field table and brought up a projection that he blew up, large enough for everyone to see. "We'll start off with a two-mile run across rough land at Woodbury Common. There will be tunnels, pipes, pools and some waterlogged culverts. Then you'll run back here to the pistol range immediately and engage targets. 6 out of 10 or better with adequate time and you've got it."

Steele shut the feed down and set the tablet back on the table, crossing his arms behind his back, staring at the assembled group of cadets. Then he suddenly pulled a starting pistol from his belt and raised it in the air, firing and holstering it. The group started to take off, some of the more athletic cadets gaining some distance. Miles lagged that group, but still had some distance on the slower ones. The daily exercises seemed to pay off here.

So, did the shoes that were broken in. As he passed through the woods, he had to juke and avoid trees and hop over brush. Nettles and thorns stung into his shirt and sweats, making him wince and grit his teeth. He growled and continued to advance, setting his eyes on those ahead of him. Clock ticking, this was probably the hardest of the tests he would be going through, even with all the technical training ahead of him. This was probably where he was weakest.

But he could not accept failure here, he couldn't wash out. Especially if he ended up having to meet his father; tired, bloodied and worn out to meet his terms. No, that was something he would not _allow_. His chest ached as he tried to keep pace, sharply inhaling through his nose. One of the Commando observers saw him and started to join up on him.

"Come on, you're faster than that!" The Commando roared. "I thought you were a Jack, not a schoolgirl!"

"I'll show you schoolgirl, bootneck!" The fox snarled back, pumping his legs.

"I'll be damned, these fuzzies can run." The Commando said to himself as they broke through the woods. Miles could see a mudlogged channel ahead of him leading to a low tunnel. The Commando kept above it and turned to face him as he dove down into the muck. He raised his head up and swam through it, the observer giving him a thumb up.

"Go get that finish!" The observer yelled.

The fox continued to slug his way through the mud, in one case nearly falling all the way in. Hands reached for him and pulled him up, other Britannia cadets helping him along.

"You doing all right, Tails?" Buddy's voice could be heard to his right.

"Never better, mate." The fox answered as the tunnel came up. He ducked down and went in first, padding his way through the dark, partially filled tunnel to the end. Once out, he saw where there was a backlog of cadets trying to climb up. He reached them and knelt, allowing one to step off from his shoulders, lifting upwards as more pain racked through him. Then the cadet he assisted held their hands out. He took it, climbing up and growling to make it the rest of the way out.

They came up to a blackish bog that he had to wade through, this one having trees and brush grown into it. Once he was through that, his body ached all around. He stopped for a few moments to catch his breath before making it up to stable land. Then as he advanced downhill, he saw smaller tunnels before him. Once he was up to them, the fox crawled in, finding himself tightly compressed in there. Miles slid through them, uncomfortably but still resolute on making it.

Out of those tunnels, he noticed that he was close to where they started. Far on the horizon he could see where Steele was. Powering his way downhill once more, he bounded past onto the road and took off towards the pistol range, noticing a burst of speed coming from his tails propelling him forward. The effort seemed to be easier now, but his heart was racing.

No wonder they wanted him to try to shoot. At the target range he could hear the reports of pistols from the cadets that made it. He took his place at an empty station and picked up the Heckler & Koch .40 sitting there along with its magazine. The fox racked it in and pulled back the slide, raising the gun up and sighting it in. The target was at 25 meters and he aimed for center mass, pulling the trigger. The loud gunfire as well as the sound of the hit confirmation klaxon startled him. He quickly retargeted and fired again, hearing the klaxon. Then he tightened his grip, firing until the magazine was emptied and the gun clicked. Lowering the gun, he removed the magazine and set it down, hands shaking.

"Prower!" Another Commando called out. He turned to face them and found a hand offered to him. "Eight out of ten. And a time of 75 minutes. Not bad at all. Go get some water, son. You look like you're going to drop dead."


	8. Chapter 7: Midshipman Prower

**Chapter 7**

 **Britannia Royal Navy College**

 **Dartmouth, Devon, England**

 **United Kingdom**

 **Saturday, June 30, 2108**

"Good afternoon, Cadet." Knuckles gestured for Miles to come into his office. There was a folder on his desk that was apart from the stack on the right side. The fox took off his cap and stood at attention. The echidna waved to the seat in front of the desk. "Go ahead and sit."

"Yes, Chief." Miles replied, settling down. Knuckles opened the folder and reviewed the contents of it, flipping through each page while the fox waited patiently. Then Knuckles raised his red furred face up.

"You've been graded as Excellent in basic naval operations regarding terrestrial vessel handling, Excellent in teamwork, Excellent in technical aptitude and Acceptable in physical fitness and endurance." The echidna said quietly, then looked the fox in the eye. "Cadet Prower, do you wish to continue on to the next year for space and technical training?"

"I do, Chief." Miles answered with a nod.

"Very good. I will have this report finalized and sent to Captain Jago and Captain Seetan. Based on these results, I have been advised with confidence that you will be promoted to Midshipman. You are considered officially a commissioned officer in the Royal Navy and the Keplerian Space Navy respectively. You will receive your commissioning documents from both services. As a commissioned officer, you will hold that rank but will not be in full service until completion of the third year of your accelerated program. That will largely be the Initial Warfare Officer's Foundation Course and your Information Warfare Officer's Foundation Course"

The echidna rose and offered his hand. Miles rose as well and took his hand, shaking it.

"Aye aye, Chief. Thank you, this is great news." The fox said, smiling.

"Hard work paid off, Prower. I suggest you go get your new epaulets. Once you've passed out, there's some leave before you go to the next year." Knuckles said. "Congratulations."

 **Robotnik Family Home**

 **Regementsgatan 116**

 **Malmö, Sweden, Earth**

 **Wednesday, July 4, 2108**

"Maria." Johanna Robotnik cracked the door open to her granddaughter's guest room. She blinked as the nineteen-year-old woman lowered the book she was reading. Maria adjusted her glasses and sat up in bed, fatigued from studying. She was due back to University Hospital in the morning, the second year of medical school more daunting than the first.

"Yes, Grandmother?" Maria said with a stifled yawn.

"Dinner time, my dear. There's also someone here that's been eager to see you." Johanna smiled and took a step back before going down to the stairs.

Maria slid out of bed and marked her place in her textbook and smoothed out the wrinkles in her scrubs. She then left her room and went down the stairs to the ground floor, hearing Geralt talking to someone. A familiar male voice was answering him. Her cheeks flushed in anticipation as she made her way to the dining room.

"Would you look at that." Geralt said, a large scroll opened and held in both hands. Maria stepped over to his side and stared at the document.

"George the Seventh, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and of His Realms and Territories King, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith, Lord High Admiral. To our Trusty and Beloved Miles Prower, greetings. We, reposing especial Trust and Confidence in your Loyalty, Courage and good Conduct, do by these Presents Constitute and Appoint you to be an Officer in Our Royal Navy from the day of Sunday, July First in the year Two-Thousand One-Hundred and Eight." Maria said out loud, then looked over the scroll.

"Hello there, Doctor." Miles said quietly. He stood there in his No. 2 Blue dress, his cap slung under his arm. She stepped around the table and embraced him, feeling his own arms close around her back, which made her face warm up. After a few moments, they broke apart from each other, and she could notice a slight flush in his muzzle.

"I thought you were going into the Keplerian Space Navy." Maria said, confused.

"Well while we're at BRNC, we're dual members of the Royal Navy until we're finished. Well, the Royal Naval Reserve." Miles explained. "If something came up during my last two years, we could be put into action on a sea-ship at least."

"You'll likely be done with your naval training while I'm in medical school." Maria lamented.

"Yet you are doing something far greater than I am." The fox raised his ears and blinked. "Treating the sick, mending families and conducting research while I sit at a console. It simply does not compare and rightfully so."

"Mr. Prower," Maria pressed a hand to his cheek, the sensation causing Miles to lower his ears slightly. "Trying to be a chameleon yet again, trying to burrow yourself into obscurity. You're going to be working in the most hostile environment of anyone's career. You're going to be on a warship in space."

"A warship in peacetime." Miles countered, reaching out to take her hand, gently casting it down. "Who is there to fight, truly? Certainly not humans and there is no Kingdom of Acorn to oppress us. There is no conflict on the horizon."

"Conflict has its way of perpetuating itself throughout the ages, though. I think I understand what she means. Ultimately Maria does not want to see you hurt." Geralt chimed in. "None of us do."

"I know that, I accepted the risks though when I joined. In a way I like it this way. Passing that first leg by my own work and sweat felt good. I didn't have it given to me because of my name or by greasing wheels with rings." Miles explained. "Depending on how things go, I might even make a career out of it."

"Disappointing." A new voice broke into the fray which belonged to a man with curly reddish-brown hair that stood at six feet. He wore red turtleneck and black slacks with matching tennis shoes, his blue eyes regarding the fox through round-rimmed glasses. "But only because I was hoping to have an engineer working for me that knows his quartz."

"Ovi!" Miles walked over with his hand held out, taking his host-cousin's own as it was offered. "How have you been? I hadn't seen you since graduation from Bladins!"

"Oh, the life of a chief innovation officer is non-stop. Vesting day-to-day business operations of Eggbot to a professional CEO though was the best thing I've ever done. Getting back into pure applications and design put new life in me. Designing better drones, better androids, prosthetics and toys. Especially the toys though, giving those future maker-artists with a canvas to draw with." Ovi sighed contently.

"Still playing Mutants and Masterminds?" Miles asked. The question made Ovi perk up.

"Well of course I am. Stockholm's geek community would be in mourning if I ever put my tiles and dice away! You're off on leave, aren't you? I figured as much from how you looked. Why don't you come around to Stockholm with me on Friday? Orbot and Cubot certainly wouldn't mind seeing you again, I'd almost say they missed their little buddy. Then we can sit, eat like gluttons and fight for truth and justice or terror and ruthlessness like old times."

"That would be fine." Miles nodded.

"You'll stay here of course?" Geralt asked.

"I thought as much." The fox turned his head and nodded again.

 **Eggbot Corporation**

 **Stockholm, Sweden, Earth**

 **Friday, July 6, 2108**

"Welcome to Eggbot, Mr. Prower." The speaker was a robot with a half-sphere shaped, red and black coloured head. Its eyes were largely grey and circular, but the optics were in a rectangular, cyan slit in the center of each. "It is good to see you again."

"Good afternoon Orbot." Miles offered his hand to the robot which floated upwards to be at eye level, taking it. A similar robot, with a yellow and black cube motif floated up and chittered in what was thought to be a carefree, pleased tone.

"And to you as well, Cubot." The fox switched his hand to the other robot with a nod.

"It's been far too long, Mr. Prower." Cubot said, its tone less serious and more animated than Orbot's. "An officer in the Keplerian Space Navy now, I see."

"Officer cadet actually, I still have some training to go through." Miles corrected gently.

"Ah, no tales of swashbuckling yet? Disappointing but expected. If you do however get yourself into some adventure, I'd love to be the first to hear about it! Pirates, renegades, beautiful women and alien planets. Just like the doctor's books." Orbot babbled.

"I would have thought that you would have had books electronically filed for reading." Miles looked to Ovi, who stepped between the two robots, dotingly patting them on their heads.

"They have access to those, yes. But holding and reading the real articles has much appeal to us organics. The same stands true for our robot friends, or at least that's what I try to foster in them. Especially since they assist in the design labs, they make for wonderful testers for our toy line." Ovi explained.

"I could see some applications in the KRSN, you could design a yeoman along these lines." Miles suggested. Ovi sighed and ran a hand against the back of his head, causing the fox to raise his ears.

"It would be easy to make more money with military contracts but it's just not something I'd be comfortable with pursuing. Sure, it may start off with non-combat applications, but the military-industrial complex is a ravenous hog. One day they would all clamor for combat drones. I couldn't bear to think of my own robots being used to strike at others, even other robots, let alone people." Ovi mused.

"What about the civic services?" Miles asked.

"Well we are making strides there, rescue robots that can move heavy debris and find trapped victims. Our Moto-Bug is very good in the latter, teams of them have tested well in earthquake simulations." Ovi said. "Then there's the Fire-Bee, built in high capacity suppressant gas and foam feeding their stingers. Would you like to see a demonstration?"

"If it's no trouble, sure." Miles replied with a nod.

"No trouble at all, Orbot if you wouldn't mind, request an open R-Simulation Lab for me." Ovi said, looking down at the robots.

"Already requested, RS-5 is being prepared." Orbot reported.

"Follow me then." Ovi gestured for the three to join him as he made his way towards an elevator. They would find themselves going down into a sub-basement level, appropriately marked Simulation Labs on a sign. Passing several darkened ones, Ovi stopped before one that was lit up. A controlled fire gave it an orange glow as flames danced around. He pressed his hand to the tempered glass, causing a display to come alive, a standard company interface. After some tapping and swiping, a live camera feed in the entire came into view.

A small red van was rolling up from a hidden preparation bay, its blue strobe light flashing with a standard European styled klaxon wailing for a few moments. Its back door raised with a ramp sliding out to the ground while a red ladybug shaped robot rolled out on a single wheel. It turned left and moved towards the fire, both eyes glowing the same cyan color that matched Orbot and Cubot's. It rolled right into the burning building with a new camera view coming up, a thermographic view from its perspective. It rolled up to a dummy that was broadcasting a human heat signature and performed an assessment before its shell opened, arms raising out and carefully scooping the victim up, placing it on the robot's back in a fireman's carry before the shaft that linked to its wheel raised up, bringing it above the flames. Then the Moto-Bug rolled out and set the dummy down on the ground on its back.

A yellow and black robot flew out from the back of the van, starting to blast a white gas out from its stinger as it entered the building, dousing the fires from above and alternating between gas and foam. It seemed to circle around for several repetitions before exiting from an open window, rising to another level before disappearing back in. Soon the fire was put out and Ovi pointed to a status display.

"There's cartridge capacity for at least four floors before a recharge is needed, but with Fire-Bees being deployed in teams, they can efficiently put out a major fire in a tower structure." Ovi explained with a wide smile on his face. A combination of pride and elation at a successful test. "Are you sure I couldn't tempt you to join Eggbot after your five years are up?"

Miles turned away from the window and crossed his arms as he considered the prospect. Five years after finishing at BRNC, that would be 2115. Depending on how his track went, he might make lieutenant in 2112 and lieutenant commander was tenuous by that time, perhaps that wouldn't happen until the next year. Lieutenant by itself was the equivalent of an army or marine captain, lieutenant commander the equivalent to a major. If he stuck out long enough, he might make commander with a second commitment. That would be a total of thirteen years of service, he would be twenty-eight by then. But if he left right at 2115, Miles would be twenty-three and assuming the offer was still on deck, he would likely settle in as a technical specialist, working with a man who was informally a cousin.

"I'll have those five years to consider it, but it's very tempting." The fox answered, straightening up. Then a small smile formed on his muzzle. "Now what was that about eating like gluttons and fighting for truth and justice you mentioned earlier in the week?"


	9. Chapter 8: Sub-Lieutenant Prower

**Chapter 8**

 **Keplerian Republic Central Orbital Naval Yard**

 **Kepler-22B Orbit, Kepler-22 Star System**

 **Monday, July 7, 2110**

"Good morning Sub-Lieutenant." The voice belonged to that of an American and its abrupt interruption of the blurring and mental fog that came from rolling out of bed with space bag in hand. Miles shook his head and heard a pencil tapping against a desk hidden behind the plastiglass partition that he was staring at. He then focused in and saw a human with thinning brown hair and squarish framed glasses in the same uniform, only he was a full lieutenant.

"Could you tell me where I can find the Detailer, sir? I was to pick up my orders." Miles requested, stifling a yawn.

"I _am_ the Detailer." The human raised his eyebrows and shook his head, opening a filing cabinet that was at his left. "State your name."

"Prower, Miles. Service number 921016-080701." Miles lowered his ears with his muzzle growing red with embarrassment. The human closed the drawer that he was opening and then reached for the middle one, digging through folders.

"Let's see, Sub-Lieutenant Miles Prower, 921016-080701. Right, Information Warfare Officer for KRSS _Campbeltown_ , pennant number D4. Pennant number, damn Brits just had to pull a fast one on us and design the service." The lieutenant sighed and rolled in his seat towards a coffee pot, filling two cups, one that he put at his desk. The human stood up and held two sheets of paper out with the other cup to the fox.

"Oh, thank you very much, sir." Miles took the cup and sipped from it as if it was the first water he ever had after walking through a desert. Then the world around him seemed to gain some clarity. He fished a pen out from a cup and stared down at his orders.

1 July 2110

From: Commander, Operations

To: SLt. Miles Prower, KRSN

Via: (1) The Chief of Naval Personnel

(2) Detailer, Central Orbital Naval Yard

Subject: Space duty – report to new station

Reference: (a) Admiralty Instructions, (b) Commissioning orders for 921016-080701

SLt. Miles Prower (Service No. 921016-080701) is to report at the earliest convenience on receipt of this order to LtCdr. Keann Zincks (Commander, KRSS _Campbeltown_ (D4)) for space duty.

Signed,

RAdm. Crow Seetan

Chief of Naval Personnel

Addendum: Please sign copy for Detailer's Records.

Seetan made rear admiral after working at BRNC? Chief of Naval Personnel, it seemed that the wolf was working his way up to larger administrative challenges. Was he one of those paper admirals who would decide conflicts without ever having held command of a ship, well at least, a spaceship? Well, in any event it was reassuring to see a name he recognized. The fox signed at the indicated place on the second copy and then held it out.

"Ty Hesse." The lieutenant said, taking the signed sheet with a nod. " _Campbeltown_ has been sitting in Small Dock 3 taking on new crew. Zincks' first ship, she was executive officer for _Bath_ , class of 2105."

His commander went into full service right as he was getting in.

"Thank you, Lt. Hesse. I'd better get going then." Prower folded his orders and put them into his pocket, grabbing his bag by the drawstring before taking off towards the Small Docks. That consisted of taking an elevator several levels down and consulting a kiosk map. He had come out in front of Small Dock 1 and 2, so traveled past 2 to finally sight 3. An enlisted crewman stood with a carbine ready, giving him a salute.

"Halt. Who goes there?" The crewman asked.

"Sub-Lieutenant Prower, the new information warfare officer." Miles replied, fishing his orders out and holding them towards the crewman. The crewman carefully scanned them before returning them. "Duty officer's on the other side, sir."

"Much obliged. As you were." The fox continued past the guard and through the entryway which became a small docking tube. Pipes trilled from an electronic bosun's call acknowledging his entry.

"Welcome aboard Sub-Lieutenant. Lieutenant William Bolton, duty officer." A grey cat stood by the gangway, gaining a salute from the fox.

"Sub-Lieutenant Miles Prower, information warfare." Miles introduced himself. "Captain requested to see me when I boarded."

"So, she has. In any event, I'll see you on the bridge once you're ready. Welcome aboard, again." Bolton said.

"Thank you, Lieutenant." Miles nodded before stepping forward, making his way up towards the destroyer's bridge. The bridge was also home to the combat information center, dominated by a large, flatscreen display at the fore side. It was showing the fore view composited from several external cameras on the hull of the ship. A sand-coloured tanuki with dark ringed eyes sat in front of the display while an enlisted rating stood at the raised wheel behind her.

"Sub-Lieutenant Prower." The tanuki said, rising to her feet and turning to face where she heard Miles' footsteps.

"Reporting as ordered, Captain." The fox had a salute ready that she answered.

"Lieutenant Commander Keann Zincks, but yes according to protocol, Captain will do as well." Zincks said. She swept her arms around. "Welcome to the _Campbeltown_. She's had a few voyages under her belt, mainly patrol duties. But it's an armed ship of the Republic with teeth. It will be your job to ensure no one gets theirs in our network, maybe getting a bite or two into the enemy's."

"I will do my duty." Miles said, looking around at the other stations. There was an obvious empty seat next to communications. Zincks followed his gaze and nodded with approval.

"Take your station then, Mr. Prower." Zincks sat down as the fox stepped towards the empty seat which was at the bottom right corner of the triangular arrangement in front of her. He reached down and pressed his right index finger against a reader on his keyboard, then logged in with his system credentials.

Each officer had a system profile which defined what the workstations would open to once they logged in. In Miles' case, he was looking at a status window for the protective firewalls that stood in front of the network cores. He also had a display for overall network activity and incoming/outgoing ship's communications, a crossover with the communications officer's own profile. Wi-Fi, cellular, radio and other spectrums could be shut down or restricted at his discretion. He was both network administrator and cryptography specialist.

"It's coming back to me." Miles said, looking back at the tanuki, who nodded.

"Hopefully you won't have to do much in the way of defensive IW." Zincks said. She reached for a console at the left side of her seat and pulled up a hand mic, pressing down on the transmit button. "All _Campbeltown_ personnel on station, this is the captain. Report to Small Dock 3 and board, we have picked up our information warfare officer and will disembark once all are aboard. That is all."

 **Sunday, December 28, 2110**

 **KRSS** _ **Campbeltown**_

 **Kepler-22 Outer System Patrol**

Up to December 28, adjusting to shipboard life had been simple. Being on the bridge and striking up a good working relationship with the communications officer, Lieutenant Blaire Fields, a light purple Keplerian canine as well as the rest of the CIC staff and his own IW staff of enlisted ratings made the time pass by. As Zincks predicted, there was little in the way of action, mainly ferrying ships back and forth through the Warp Gate and checking on intra-system developments.

The dog and pony show ended though when a transport ship came up on sensors. It broadcast no identification signal at least not until a full minute had passed. The tactical officer, Lieutenant Clinton Briggs made a sound and turned in his seat.

"Skipper." The hedgehog called out. "I have a new contact attempting to evade us. It was trying to skip between rocks and only started to broadcast identification after a few pings."

"What identity is she claiming?" Zincks asked, perking up.

"Keplerian freighter, though I have no idea what one would be doing all the way out here." Briggs advised.

"There's no settlements or mines this far out." Zincks pondered, running her index finger under her chin. "Maintain distance, in fact make them think they're losing us. Mr. Prower?"

"Yes, Captain?" Miles turned his head.

"See if you can convince them that they're losing us." Zincks ordered. "If that works out, we'll shadow them."

"Aye, aye, sir." The fox cracked his knuckles and started to probe for a potential conduit of entry. The identification broadcast system sounded like a good start. He began to scan the escaping ship to get an idea as to what its network environment was like. The firewall seemed to be stock, a generation out of date strangely enough. Shipping regulations were very particular about keeping security systems up to date, at least with licensed ships. He started to find holes in the firewall and leveraged them to wiggle past it. Now it was a matter of determining if he could break into their command systems.

Sloppy, very sloppy. Miles thought. No isolation, everything was knit together in one network. One at the very least kept command systems separate from the others, especially 'public' facing services. He now had a replica of the ship's sensor controls up as well as access to the logs. Switching to a development environment, the fox accessed the ship's local copy of the KRSN offensive malware library, a library that contained worms and other nasty programs specifically developed for the military services both in-house and by contractors. He took pieces from different programs and welded them together into a virus that he would send over to the target ship, its purpose to both give him a quick way back in while also replacing the sensor data that showed the _Campbeltown_ at their back with false data suggesting nothing was there.

The ship seemed to come to a dead stop, turning to face them as the destroyer turned, making a parallel course with another rock, matching its speed. The target started to swing back around on its intended course, bringing more speed to bear. The _Campbeltown_ shot out from its hiding place, maintaining distance to where it still had a sensor reading.

As the chase carried on, Briggs noticed that they were approaching more rocks and the helmsman took care to avoid collision with them. Another contact came up, this time on an asteroid that the target ship seemed to be approaching.

"Settlement of some kind." Briggs reported, leaning in to look through the targeting scope at his station. "Not much in the way of creature comforts. We'd need to get closer to get an idea of lifeforms."

"Home base I would wager." Zincks said, crossing her arms. "I think we've been very patient with this fish, Mr. Prower. Let's reel them in."

"Aye, aye." Miles jumped back to his open connection and this time switched to the master command system. His fingers tapped at the keyboard like an expert pianist as he overrode its helm, ceding it to Briggs. Briggs threw the target ship into full reverse as the fox locked out the MCS from local input. The transport lurched to a stop and started to move backwards towards the destroyer.

"Now let's see if they're a talkative sort." Zincks said. "Open voice communications."

Fields looked to Miles who unlocked communications on the target ship and then nodded at an unspoken cue. "Keplerian vessel, this is the KRSS _Campbeltown_ , a destroyer of the Keplerian Republic Space Navy. You are believed to be operating in a suspicious manner and are being taken in tow. Stand down and prepare to be boarded."

They waited for a minute but received no response. As the ship drew closer, Briggs checked his station. "There are in fact lifeforms aboard, several potential Keplerians, maybe even humans."

"Bring them aside for boarding." Zincks commanded. "Prower, I want you leading the boarding party."

"Me?" The fox raised his ears and turned in his seat. "I've never boarded a hostile ship before."

"Just remember your boarding drills and it will be fine." The tanuki said. "You'll have a master-at-arms and fellow spacers at hand."

"Aye, aye, Captain." The fox rose up to his feet. "Permission to report to the armory for outfitting?"

"Granted, Mr. Prower." Zincks answered.

The fox stepped away and left the bridge, going down two levels and approaching the armory. The boarding party which seemed to be prearranged by duty roster assignment was waiting for him, getting into protective EVA suits. He climbed into one and secured a helmet around his head. Another boarding party member per procedure checked his suit over and gave a light tap on the top of his helmet, indicating it was OK. He opened a weapons locker and took out a sidearm, a .45 caliber Colt 1911, putting it into the outer holster. Then the fox reached into the locker and withdrew a belt of 12-gauge box magazines, attaching them to his waist before picking up an automatic shotgun. He grabbed a loose box magazine and racked it in, holding the gun, barrel up towards the ceiling.

The HUD on the suit's internal computer came alive, controlled by eye tracking and head sensors. The fox set up a local radio network with the rest of the boarding party, represented by a series of stacked cards on the lower right corner of the display. His own card was on top and outlined in gold. Miles began to walk out of the armory, towards the umbilical that was being attached to the transport. The rest of the boarding party soon followed, stacking up on each side in front of the airlock. He lowered the shotgun down towards the floor, watching the status panel to the right of the port as its light went from red, to yellow and finally green.

"Entry team, begin boarding." Miles said into his mic.

"Aye, aye, Sub-Lieutenant." Three of the borders took up position, the point man opening the hatch. Then they disappeared into the umbilical, the fox bringing up the point main's helmet camera. Everyone was being recorded, as what they would encounter would likely be entered into evidence against the transport's crew.

The entry team opened the hatch on the other side of the umbilical and fanned out. The team member closest to the umbilical made a thumbs up gesture that was visible.

"Entry has been achieved, no contact yet." One of the team members said.

"Let's go." Miles said, starting to move forward into the umbilical. "Hold position, entry team."

"Holding as ordered." Came the response.

The rest of the boarding team fell in behind him and once he was with the entry team, he looked around. The ship looked like any typical civilian ship made on Earth, but it seemed run down. This suggested that whoever that crewed this ship operated illegally, pulling into a station like the ARK would bring a swift customs impoundment on it.

"Let's split up, Team A to take the bridge. Team B with me, let's see what's being carried. You are weapons free if fired upon." Miles said.

After the split was made, a silver card came up at the top of Team A, indicating the senior spacer of the new group was recognized. Miles turned towards the aft side of the corridor and had Team B sweeping openings that presented. Another item of note, the rooms they came across were empty. There were also what seemed to be open weapon lockers. Even mercenaries would have closed them up, this was poor tactical discipline.

Approaching one of the cargo holds, Miles had Team B come to a stop and waited. He switched to a camera feed with Team A who had performed their own sweeps on the way to the bridge. He put the audio feed on as the bridge came into view. A Keplerian jackal seemed to be reaching for a holstered gun but thought against it.

"Drop it!" Team A's leader barked, their shotgun coming up.

"Don't even think about it." Another boarder added.

"Republic scum." A burly lion-like Keplerian snarled, the blue and red uniform that he wore looked familiar.

"Let's see hands." Team A's leader countered. "Sub-Lieutenant?"

"Here." Miles broke into the circuit.

"Able Spaceman Mackensen here. I think we have Acornians. Right?" Mackensen gestured with his gun as the lion and the jackal raised their hands.

"This is Captain Kodos of the Kingdom of Acorn privateer _Destructrix_." The lion rumbled.

"Charmed." Miles made a face. "Sub-Lieutenant Miles Prower of the Keplerian Republic Space Navy destroyer _Campbeltown_. If I were you, I would take this as an unconditional surrender of your vessel. What is the purpose of this vessel?"

"Cargo and labor transport." Kodos replied, scorn in his voice. "As for your unconditional surrender, I suppose wasting the lives of my crew would be the second worst blunder this day has brought."

"Mackensen, local communications should still be available." The fox said. The wolf reached up and removed a hand mic like Zincks' and held it out, checking the radio to ensure it was on shipwide channel.

"This is Captain Kodos. We have been boarded by the Republic Space Navy." The lion made a face, staring at the wolf. "For those of you still in control, jettison the cargo and resist!"

"You stupid son of a bitch!" Mackensen yanked the mic away and pressed his shotgun right into the lion's stomach. "Mr. Prower, did you get that?"

"I heard." Miles growled lowly as he heard yelling from within the cargo hold. He cut his connection to Team A and gestured towards the closed hatch. "Go in with flashbangs. If anyone points a gun at you afterwards, shoot them."

"Aye, aye." Team B started to stack up at the hatch, one preparing to open it while two pulled flashbangs from their belts. Once the hatch was unlocked, the point man rammed the stock of his shotgun into the door, creating an opening. The two flashbangs were tossed in, one right at the door and the other thrown as hard as possible. The two grenades clinked and made a loud bang that was muffled by their suits.

Team B started to filter in as three Acornians cowered around in confusion, standing before an assortment of both Keplerians and humans. A squirrel seemed to come out of their confusion, poised before a control panel with his gun forgotten.

"If you don't drop those guns, we'll open the cargo hold up to the vac." The squirrel snarled. Tails kept his shotgun raised as he approached. The squirrel pulled down on the lever, but nothing happened. The fox then swung the butt of the gun up into the squirrel's chin, growling.

"Why didn't it work-" The squirrel rasped, buckling as the fox drove the butt into his back and then pointed the barrel down at him. "I disabled your master command system earlier. To think you even tried. That's attempted murder that I witnessed. Add it to the charges for slaving, kidnapping and the like. You're going to be brought back before an Admiralty court and then when they're done, you're likely to hang."

"Hang us? You're nothing but traitors to the true King." The squirrel spat.

"True King? Your Kingdom has been long dead. My father broke it." Tails countered.

"So..the son of Prower the Usurper." The slaver grumbled.

"You can call him what you like, but it's Sub-Lieutenant Prower or 'sir' to me." The fox snapped, looking at the rest of Team B. "Free these people from those chains. Send them in pairs with armed escort back to the _Campbeltown_. They go right to the Surgeon and then assuming all's well, they eat. Then you can take these bastards to the brig."

He knelt and undid the restraints on a very confused mouse who looked like they were just entering adolescence. Then the fox took the mouse's hand. "Come on, let's get you out of this bloody hole. Children, taking damn children. Labor transport, indeed."

"S-Sir?" The mouse spoke up with a feminine voice.

"You don't have to call me 'sir'." The fox said quietly as he led the mouse out from the hold. "My name is Miles, but Tails will do. What's your name?"

"Janus." The mouse seemed to shiver with their clothing in a dilapidated state. "Who...who are you all?"

Miles looked down at the mouse and knelt, resting his shotgun against his shoulder. He squeezed the mouse's hand reassuringly. "We're the Navy."


	10. Chapter 9: Doctors Robotnik

**Chapter 9**

 **Lund University School of Medicine**

 **Lund, Sweden, Earth**

 **Wednesday, June 3, 2111**

Formal graduation with the Master of Science in Medicine had already taken place earlier in the day, but for the newly minted Dr. Maria Robotnik, M.S.M, the white coat ceremony was the ritual that had more weight to it. It especially held bearing in her mind with her grandfather giving the commencement speech after the Dean of Medicine. It seemed preplanned in a way, it was not regular for Geralt Robotnik to give speeches there at Lund, especially having gotten his degrees at Indiana University and John Hopkins respectively.

She sat with the other students, soon to be residents in order of last name. However, every so often she would look back at the bleachers behind her on the lawn, where her parents Poul and Noomi, her grandmother Johanna, aunt and uncle Iva and Julian and finally cousin Ovi watched. She turned forward, clutching her diploma up against her blouse and sighed. One person missing that would have made it more.

Maria looked around again as the students were called up in sequence. Studying the crowd, which did have some Keplerians amongst them. Still, he wasn't there. He knew that this was the day, but questions tugged at her heart and mind. Was he called back to duty? Was the shuttle late? Rental car a lemon? Car accident? Something else seemed amiss, her grandfather disappearing behind the large divider every so often.

"Dr. Maria Robotnik," She heard her name from the Dean of Medicine and rose up to her feet almost on automatic. Maria proceeded up the aisle, feeling awkward in her heels going across the grass. She looked at Geralt, who seemed to be holding her coat out. Maria turned to face the crowd and cast her eyes down with a quiet sigh, holding her arms out. But she didn't feel the cotton around her back or arms. What was going on?

"Lieutenant Prower, would you mind? The doctor's waiting." Geralt said quietly behind her. Then she felt her coat close around her, arms slipping into the sleeves. She turned around and wanted to buckle in shock. Standing there, the two-tailed fox wore his full Type No. 2 dress and cap, new lieutenant's epaulets and sleeve bands in place in bright gold.

"I didn't think you were coming." Maria said quietly towards his ear.

"I didn't know if I was going to be able to keep quiet about it." The fox replied in kind. "I got 48 hours of leave."

"Are you staying somewhere?" Maria asked, face tinged with embarrassment at the time she was taking up. Miles noticed and stepped to the back, gesturing for her to follow as the other students proceeded.

"I was going to hit a hotel or perhaps go back to the ARK." Miles said, lowering his ears.

"Stay with me tonight." Maria said, raising her eyes up, reaching down to take his hand. "I have an apartment nearby."

"What?" The fox raised his ears in surprise. Did he hear her correctly? "You want me to stay with you?"

"I've _always_ wanted you to be with me." The human's face turned a darker shade of red as she grasped his sides and pressed in against his jacket. Miles fidgeted for a moment, raising his hands up with a soft snort from his nose. He slowly rested his hands on the woman's back.

"What do you mean by being with you?" His ears pointed towards her face as a chill rolled up his back. Miles was tempted to pinch himself, thinking perhaps his mind was running away while sleeping.

"I-I didn't want you to go earlier. Especially after your father spun you into it. Ever since I first met you I fell for you. But you never said anything or made any overtures. I didn't think I was good enough." Maria tried to keep her voice down.

"I am such a damn idiot!" The fox growled lowly, almost to a whisper. "And here I thought I was the one that wasn't good enough for you between being too young and alien."

"Three years is not that large of a gap. And I would have never, ever held your origin against you." Maria closed her eyes. "I don't care if you're an officer or an engineer, or what you are. As long as it's you with me."

"I have to confess I've been wanting to hear that for some time." Miles said quietly, lowering his nose down to rest his chin atop of Maria's head. She reached up and pressed her hands against his cheeks, drawing her head back before giving him a nervous, quick kiss. He ran his tongue out to sweep his upper lip for a moment afterwards but then flickered it out against her nose.

"You'll follow me afterwards?" Maria asked.

"If that pleases you." Miles nodded.

"Good. I must go back out there and try to sit still. Please don't tell the family yet and whatever you do." Maria reached down and prodded his stomach with an index finger, a brief flicker of the effects of years of loneliness and frustration being relieved on her face. "Don't have dinner if you can avoid it."

 **Thursday, June 4, 2111**

After breakfast, Miles sat in a chair on the outdoor terrace of Maria's apartment. Out of uniform, he wore a short sleeved black polo shirt and blue jeans. A straight stem briarwood pipe was clenched in his teeth, cherry cavendish tobacco burning in the bowl slowly. He looked down at a tablet in his lap, reading over Maria's residency program application letters.

The sliding door behind him opened with Maria stepping up behind him. This time she wore a white tanktop with khaki pants. She leaned in and pressed her hands to the fox's shoulders and rested her chin between his ears, which closed in around her and wiggled.

"I got you a book, it's a bit old but relevant." Miles said, raising his eyes. "The Making Of A Surgeon by Dr. William Nolen, 1968. It goes over his years of residency at Bellevue Hospital in New York City. Not too much has changed except for the technology and knowledge. Your first year as an intern is going to be learning basic skills."

"Already a day in and you're getting me books." Maria lowered her face down into the top of his head and sighed contently. "Somehow I should have expected that. I slept well for the first-time last night. I hope you're able to return in winter. You're warm."

"My arm fell asleep a few times." The fox teased, taking the pipe out from his mouth and lowering it to his lap. He raised his head up and flickered his tongue out, licking her chin. Maria moved around the left side of the chair and took his pipe and the tablet, setting them on a nearby table before sitting on his legs, leaning back into him. Miles instinctively wrapped his arms around her stomach, cheek resting into her side.

"I dreamed about this kind of day many times. Going to university together. Of course, you were working for Ovi as well. Repeats of last night too." Maria pursed her lips into a mischievous smile. "I'm sore thanks to you, Lieutenant."

"My apologies." Miles' muzzle flushed as Maria clasped his arms and laughed.

"Nothing to be sorry about there, especially if you keep that up. And to think you were worried about me not liking you for being alien. Besides, that was our first." Maria's hair spilled all along his face as she relaxed. "You're leaving tonight, aren't you?"

"Unfortunately." Miles made a small growl of resignation. "I don't want to go but I must. The _Campbeltown_ needs me. You've heard we've been fighting the Kingdom of Acorn?"

"That's what I've seen. I didn't think they would show up like this all the sudden. I read King Frederick took off on a rocket, but I didn't think they would make it out there." Maria said.

"No different than the Nazis, I suppose." Miles raised his ears. "Evil finds a way to survive, but we'll find them all eventually. Every outpost we take, every ship we board, it's arrests and people liberated. I can't stand the slavers." Another growl.

Maria turned her body to face him, letting her legs drop to the floor. She tilted her head and massaged his cheeks.

"Miles, I was curious. You don't have to tell me, but have you been under fire?" she asked.

"Several times. Haven't been shot, fortunately." The fox blinked and looked her in the eye.

"Have you," Maria hesitated for a moment. "Have you had to kill someone?"

Miles swallowed and nodded. "I don't like it, but yes. I've had to accept that as reality since my first boarding. To protect my fellow crew but also the innocent people caught in the middle. Especially them. Can you imagine? Kidnapped humans and Keplerians sent to work for a mad king. Not just adults but children too. Starved, weak and broken. Seeing that-" He swallowed again. "I'm sometimes afraid I'll forget myself. But cold-blooded murder is never acceptable to shore up an injustice. The slavers get sent to the brig and to an Admiralty court to be sentenced. That will do for me."

"You've had to grow up quickly. But I know in the end, you're both intelligent but compassionate. I'll support you no matter what happens. Just make sure you return to me in one piece." Maria gently massaged his ears and leaned in, kissing his forehead.

"I will, I promise." The fox raised his nose up and kissed her on the mouth. Maria pressed into him and sighed as he closed his hands around her waist.

"Attention." The tablet spoke up in a neutral female voice. "Dr. Ovi Robotnik requests permission to enter."

"Damn." Maria slowly rose up off the fox, a small pout on her face. "Dreadful timing, cousin. Permission is granted."

"Acknowledged." The same voice could be heard inside of the apartment. "You are permitted to enter."

The door opened and Ovi's footsteps could be heard. Maria walked up to the sliding door.

"Out here on the terrace, cousin." Maria called out.

"Coming!" Ovi walked through the living room and on seeing her, embraced her. "Congratulations, another Dr. Robotnik in the fold! Grandfather's been putting the word out to some hospitals." He then spotted the fox and looked down at Maria, arching an eyebrow.

"Would you like some tea?" Maria asked.

"That would be wonderful." Ovi moved aside so that Maria could enter, then walked up to the seat next to the fox. Miles emptied out his pipe into a jar and started to refill his pipe before lighting it.

"I didn't know you smoked." Ovi said as way of conversation. He reached up and massaged a fledgling mustache before looking back at the door. "When did you get here?"

"Last night." Miles tilted his head and moved the stem of his pipe to the right side of his mouth. Ovi raised his eyebrows and leaned in towards him.

"Are you two..." Ovi kept his voice low.

"In a relationship? Happily, yes." Miles replied. "If you have something to say about that, I can assure you it's something we seemed to have wanted for some time."

"Well it's about time!" Ovi smiled and gently patted the fox's shoulder. "I always wondered why she seemed so out of it sometimes. She hasn't been this lively for a good while. Does Grandfather know?"

"You're the first to know. Please let Maria tell them." Miles lowered his ears.

"Not to worry, I'm not one for family gossip anyways." Ovi removed his tablet from a belt case and set it down to rest on the arm of their seats. A chessboard appeared on the display, with its pieces showing in 3D-AR.

"I'll play white, if you don't mind?" Miles asked. Ovi nodded and pressed a button on the display, the black pieces on his side.

"Blitz chess." Ovi said, studying the board.

Miles took the pawn at e2 and set it at e4. Ovi set his c7 pawn to c5. The fox puffed smoke out and moved his knight from g1 to f3. Ovi responded by taking his knight at b8, setting it at c6 behind his opening pawn. Miles took his pawn at d2 and moved it up to d4. Ovi made the first capture, moving his pawn at c5 to d4. Miles snatched up that pawn with his knight.

Ovi scratched at his mustache again and took a pawn from g7, moving it one space to g6. Miles had an opening with his bishop at c1 and rested it behind a pawn at e3.

"We both have two bishops." Miles said, more smoke pluming from his pipe. Ovi moved his from f8 to g7. The fox brought up his c3 pawn beside his knight, setting it at c4. Ovi's knight at g8 went to f6, parallel to his other knight. Miles' knight at b2 went to c3, followed by Ovi's second knight skipping to g4. Miles made his second capture now, queen going from d1 to take the knight at g4. Ovi countered, taking Miles' knight at d4 with his from c6.

Miles brought his queen back to d1 to safety and Ovi retreated his capturing knight to e6. The fox's queen moved up one space to d2, Ovi's d7 pawn advancing to d6. Miles' bishop at f1 went to e2, shoring up his defenses. Ovi dropped his bishop at c8 to d7. The fox castled, rook at h1 going to f1, his king beside it at g1. Ovi matched this move, rook sitting at f8, his king at g8. Miles' other rook slid from a1 to d1. Ivo's bishop at d7 went to c6, followed by Miles' c3 knight going to d5, right in the face of Ovi's line of bishop, pawn and knight.

Ovi moved his rook from f8 to e8 beside his queen. Maria returned with three cups and set them down on the table, picking up her own and sipping from it, watching them. Miles was puffing furiously at his pipe now, smoke wafting from the bowl almost at the rate of his mind running. He brought his f2 pawn to f4, forcing Ovi to move his knight at e6 to safety at c7. That same pawn at f4 moved up to f5, in danger of being taken by Ovi's g6 pawn. Instead of making that capture, Ovi moved his knight from c7 to a6. Miles' bishop at e2 moved to g4. Ovi's knight at a6 skipped to c5.

Maria's eyes widened as Miles took Ovi's pawn at g6 with his own pawn. Then that very same pawn was taken from h7 by Ovi's own pawn. Miles took his queen from d2 to f2 while Ovi moved his rook from e8 to f8. Miles' e4 pawn advanced to e5, to be taken from g7 by Ovi's bishop. Miles' queen moved from f2 to h4, then he had his knight at d5 taken by Ovi's bishop at c6. The fox sprang his rook from d1 to take that bishop, forcing Ovi to retreat his knight from c5 to e6. Miles' second rook moved from f1 to f3. The black bishop at e5 moved to safety at f6. Miles advanced his queen from h4 to h6. Ovi moved his bishop at f6 to block at g7 in front of his king.

Miles took the pawn to his queen's left, setting it before that bishop. Ovi took that queen with a satisfied smile at Maria with a pawn at f7.

"I think you just lost your most valuable piece." Ovi quipped.

"A winning strategy sometimes necessitates sacrifices." Miles countered. He took his bishop from g4 and took Ovi's knight at e6. "Bishop takes knight, check."

Ovi moved his king from g8 to h7. Miles put his king in check again, sliding his rook at f3 to h3.

"Rook to king's rook three, check." Miles announced. The black bishop at g7 was put in front of the black king, resting at h6. The fox captured that bishop with his own bishop at e3, setting it at h6. Ovi took his f8 rook and moved it to f5. Miles captured that with his own rook from d5 to have that taken by a pawn at g6. The fox moved his e6 bishop to f7. Ovi stopped to take a large gulp of tea, moving his queen from d8 to b6, placing the fox's king in check. Miles moved his king out of check to h1. Ovi took the pawn at b2 to go in for the kill with his queen.

"Queen takes knight pawn." The human said, starting to relax.

"Bishop to bishop eight." Miles said with a hint of finality, moving his bishop at h1 to f8. "Discover check, and incidentally, checkmate."

"You...you beat me." Ovi reached up and scratched at his curly hair in surprise. "When you were younger we would sometimes go to stalemate or I'd win. You've been practicing."

"You didn't go to Britannia Royal Naval College." The fox reached for his cup and withdrew his pipe, taking a slow sip, looking at Maria with approval. "Earl grey, you do love me."

"We'll have to play again, the next time we meet." Ovi said, raising his cup. "I'll probably mope and analyze this game. Maybe even upload it to YouTube. My god, that was phenomenal."

"Oh, if only you knew what he was capable of." Maria said, leaning in to scratch at the fox's ears.

"Down girl, not in front of company." Miles chided gently.


	11. Chapter 10: Scotch vs Bourbon

**Chapter 10**

 **Saturday, October 31, 2111**

 **Space Station ARK**

 **Keplerian Republic Auxiliary Orbital Naval Yard**

"Engine room reports all stop and connections being made to station power." Lieutenant Bolton said, hanging up the handset at his station at Operations, next to the helmsman.

"Thank you, Mr. Bolton." Lieutenant Commander Zincks stretched in her seat before rising. "Miss Fields, shipwide address please. Put me on video as well."

"Aye, aye, Captain." The canine looked over at Miles for a moment before opening the shipwide channel. A small red light flashed from a set of cameras fixed to the ceiling.

"Good afternoon, _Campbeltown_. It is presently approaching three bells and we are linking for station power. Reactor watch is to remain in place in rotation. Ship's company is to muster out for four days of leave. Ensure you return aboard by November 4th. For those of you in a Halloween mood, the fleet at anchor is holding open visitation to the public to non-restricted spaces and the station has an itinerary as well." The tanuki declared. "Also, have consideration for the bloody dental staff." A small smirk came as the bridge crew chuckled.

After gathering up his liberty bag, the fox slowly advanced out through the open-air gangway. The yard was enclosed with a protective shield faintly glowing and emergency door at standby. As other crew members passed by him, he pulled his pipe out and loaded it with tobacco, dry-drawing from it with no light afterwards. He raised his head up and stared out at the next dock, blinking in surprise. There was a new ship's keel being laid out there. Larger than a destroyer, he swept his gaze and measured visually. No, larger than a cruiser at that.

The fox looked around for a moment, bringing his bag up to the public information terminal near the other ship's gangway, setting it down beside it. He activated the terminal with a wave of his hand, a circular crest with gold trim appearing with its interior filled with green, a gold cannon in the center. Looking up, the fox saw a name above the cannon. _Warspite_.

KRSS _Warspite_ (01)

Dreadnought-class Battleship

Laid Down: October 31, 2111

Estimated Launch Date: November 26, 2112

Pennant Number: 01

"Belli dura despicio"

Construction by: HMNB Devonport Royal Dockyard (United Kingdom) and Naval Constructor, KRSN

Named in tribute of:

HMS Warspite (S103) – _Valiant_ -class fleet submarine, commanded by later Falklands War commander Adm. Sir John Woodward.

HMS Warspite (03) – _Queen Elizabeth_ -class battleship, participant in the Battle of Jutland (1916) in the First World War. Participant in battles at Atlantic and Mediterranean Theatres as well invasion of Normandy in Second World War

A space battleship! Miles smiled and looked at the photographs for both ancestors, submarine and sea-battleship alike. To his knowledge, the largest hull any service had was the _Yorktown_ -class space carriers of the United States Space Navy and the _Ark Royal_ -class of the Royal Space Navy. He stared out at the _Warspite_ 's keel again appreciatively and finally lit his pipe.

"Lieutenant Prower?" A soft voice broke his reverie with what he thought was an anxious squeak. The fox turned to face the speaker, eyes widening in recognition.

"Rotarl? Janus Rotarl?!" He looked the mouse over, further surprised to see that she was wearing the very same cadet uniform that he wore in his first year at BRNC.

"Cadet Janus Rotarl, first year, Britannia Royal Naval College." The mouse piped up, saluting the fox. He returned it and pursed his mouth into a smile.

"Any idea as to what your specialization path is going to be?" Miles asked, picking up his bag, gesturing with a shrug for the mouse to follow. The mouse looked at him, wiggling her fingers nervously.

"I-I'm not certain yet, I was thinking maintenance or armory officer." Rotarl cast her eyes down to the deck.

"The Navy has a place for everyone. You'll find yours eventually." Prower reassured her. "So, what made you decide to join?" That evoked an embarrassed blush from the young mouse.

"Well...you did, when you took me off from the _Destructrix_. I read your public file, I had no idea at first. I stayed at the rooms at Dartmouth you paid for. I-" The mouse reached down and started to unfold an envelope held in a pocket in her slacks. He could see crumpled bills there and held his right hand up.

"Don't you dare try to repay me, Cadet. You needed a leg up and that was by no means going to put me in the poorhouse. Save it, you'll have things to put it for on your graduation leave." He reached into his inner jacket pocket. "However, I do have something for you." The fox fished out a challenge coin and gently placed in the mouse's free hand. "If you are wanting to repay me in some way, graduate."

"I..I will, Lieutenant!" Rotarl looked at the fox, then at the destroyer. "Is it strange that I consider the _Campbeltown_ my first ship?"

"With what you've went through and the time you spent with us on return, I wouldn't say it's strange." Miles turned his gaze onto his ship. Then a familiar scent caught his attention, making him raise his nose slightly, sniffing at the air. He homed in on it, turning to the right and saw Maria approaching him at a slow walk. Different from what he'd seen before in labjacket and powder green scrubs.

"Miles!" The human closed her arms around his waist and leaned into him. The fox wagged his tails around and reached up to run his hands through her hair.

"What are you doing here? You didn't come all the way up in orbit just to see me at patrol liberty, did you?" Miles asked.

"It certainly helped, but no!" Maria straightened up and pressed a finger under an identification badge on a lanyard around her neck. Her photograph, complete with glasses and the look of someone that just rolled out of bed was on it, with the text 'Dr. Maria Robotnik, M.D. M.S.M – Surgical Resident Y1 – Space Station ARK Medical Division' beneath it.

"You got the ARK for residency?" The fox raised his eyes and smiled before pulling her into a hug. Then he became conscious of Rotarl standing there, watching them. With a polite cough, Miles slowly released Maria and stood beside her.

"Dr. Maria Robotnik, Officer Cadet Janus Rotarl of the Keplerian Republic Space Navy." Miles introduced. The mouse stepped closer and held her right hand out which Maria took.

"A pleasure, Cadet." Maria said with a nod. Rotarl's face flushed with some embarrassment as she lowered her hand.

"So, what will you two be doing until leave's over?" Rotarl asked.

"Well one thing's certain, whatever it is, it'll be on a rock with real gravity." The fox said. Maria wrapped an arm around his side and gently massaged it with her fingers.

"How about we take things nice and easy first. The Blue Marble Lounge?" Maria asked.

"The what?" Miles raised his ears.

"It's a restaurant with a bar with a view of Earth." Maria explained.

"Why not, then? Coming along, Rotarl?" The fox asked.

"Oh! I suppose so, I'm not doing anything now." The mouse's face flushed.

 **Blue Marble Lounge**

 **Space Station ARK**

The first thing that Miles and Janus noticed on arriving at the Blue Marble was a large man with ginger-red hair and a great vast beard. Upon seeing the three, his eyes seemed to light up as he gestured to three empty stools at the bar. Maria took the lead, sitting on the one farthest to the right. Miles followed, sitting to her left, leaving the final stool for Rotarl. The man, the Lounge's bartender came up to their part of the bar and held his hand out to Maria.

"Good to see you again, Doc." The bartender said, his demeanor that of someone who knew he was at the right place with the job he wanted.

"Always. Jase, meet Lieutenant Miles Prower of the KRSS _Campbeltown_ and Cadet Janus Rotarl." Maria said as introduction, smiling.

Jase reached out and offered his hand to the fox, who shook it and then repeated the process with the mouse.

"What can I start you off with then? We just got some Dead Guy Ale in from Rogue." Jase advised. Maria looked at the other two who nodded.

"Three of those, and menus please." Maria requested.

"If you wouldn't mind, also a scotch." Miles added in.

"We've got all kind there, Lieutenant." Jase gestured towards the bottles behind him. The fox blinked and tilted his head.

"How old's that Glenlivet?" he asked, focusing on a bottle

"That's a 93 year one." Jase said.

"Fine by me. Anything extra you want, Rotarl?" Miles slid his eyes over to the mouse.

"Aah...uh-" Janus blinked. "Crown Royal Apple for me."

"I'll get on that." Jase said, looking up. "Pretty quiet currently, even for Halloween. Want the TV on?"

"No, thank you." The three almost spoke in unison.

The three seemed to look over their menus as the drinks were made and put before them on coasters. Ultimately, Maria had went for a chicken carbonara with bread, while Miles went for steak and a loaded baked potato and finally Janus.

"There's a smoking area, right?" Miles asked.

"Around the back here, there's disposals all around too." Jase said, watching as the fox pulled his pipe and a beaten pouch of tobacco out. "Huh, nice."

"I'll be back." The fox said, rising from his seat. Jase reached out with the Glenlivet 93 and refilled his glass at which Miles nodded appreciatively, picking it up and taking it with him.

He set the glass down on a table and looked up, noticing the air filters above, a low humming detected by his ears that the others likely wouldn't notice. Knocking it out against a knob on the disposal near him, the fox refilled the bowl of his pipe and then stuck the stem in his mouth, lighting up. Inhaling slowly, he held the smoke in his mouth and then exhaled it out his nose, smiling in reflection.

To his back, he could hear Jase greeting more people. His ears flickered as he caught snippets of the conversation.

"Captain Tower, you look a bit rough." The human said.

"It's just from zero-g training. I'll have a bourbon." The first new voice had a bit of a Rhode Island drone to it. The fox's ears twitched, immediately annoyed by it.

"I'll have a bourbon too." Another man said, he sounded more from the west, perhaps Southern California.

"Hey hey! I'll get your next, Penders." Tower raised his voice, laughing. Miles could hear what sounded like someone being slapped on the back. Sighing, the fox pulled his pipe from his mouth and then took a small sip of scotch. Americans.

"Well, well, well." Penders could be heard, voice going lower. "What's two ladies doing here unaccompanied?"

"We're not unaccompanied, _sir_." Rotarl's voice seemed to take a 180 from earlier.

"Looks like it to me." Tower could be heard saying. "Army rules, officer and a gentleman get ladies a drink. Especially Dr. Robotnik."

"I'm fine, thank you." Maria said. There was a thunk as a glass was lowered to the bar table.

"Oh, come on, every time I see you here you're alone and you never let a guy sit with you." Tower said. "Never understood that, is that supposed to be some cold fish European thing?"

"Scandinavian and no. I already have someone, Captain." Maria replied coldly.

"Let me guess, millionaire surgeon?" Tower shot out, with Penders chuckling.

Miles tapped his pipe out, refilled and lit it before leaving the pouch and lighter, taking up his glass as he rounded the corner.

"Not quite, but an officer and a gentleman myself." The fox said, narrowing his eyes.

Tower and Penders slid their eyes from the women to the fox, gaping at him for a moment. Tower swallowed the remains of his glass and set it out on the bar.

"Another one." His voice suggested he swallowed something he didn't like.

"I don't think that's a good idea." Jase interjected. Tower reached out and shook his glass. "Another one, damn you!"

Miles looked over at the bartender and stepped closer. "Well, would you rather I pick that one up for you then?"

"I don't want your money." Tower growled and then belched. "Jesus, I can smell the dog breath too."

"You are in uniform, are you not?" The fox inquired.

"I-...what the fuck does it matter to a goddamn walking carpet?" Tower snapped.

Miles lowered his glass to the bar and straightened himself up with a low growl. "Name, rank and service."

"Fuck you." Tower snorted. "You first."

"Lieutenant Miles Prower of the Keplerian Republic Space Navy." The fox studied the other man's uniform with a careful eye. "Was I to guess, an infantry captain, United States Army?" He then looked to Penders. "Well?"

"I-ah-" Penders blinked slowly.

"Fuck him." Tower growled. "You don't have to tell him shit."

The fox stared at the other man, another cursory glance. "A first lieutenant, I believe. Same unit. Perhaps you need a refreshment on rank and etiquette. A full lieutenant of the navy is the equivalent to your captain. Which means I am a superior officer. So, Lieutenant, I will ask you then. Your name, rank and service as well as the captain's."

"...First Lieutenant Ken Penders, United States Army. That's...Captain Abraham Tower, also United States Army." Penders lowered his eyes nervously.

"Thank you Lieutenant Penders." The fox turned to round on Tower. "As for you Captain, I find your manners while under drink to be atrocious, as for your xenophobic comments disgusting. I suggest the two of you return to wherever you came from or at least put yourself in a corner out of my sight and keeping yourself to a whisper. I might feel charitable enough to leave it at that and not put you on report."

Tower growled but Penders moved closer to him, reaching up and running a finger through his mustache nervously. "Captain, I think we should do as he says."

"-You might have a point." Tower growled through clenched teeth. He took up his glass. "We'll buy the bottle." Jase just stared but obliged, holding out the bottle of Jim Beam as the two went to a table at the back. The fox sat back up at his place on the bar and reached into his pocket, setting out some rings.

"Is that enough for their bottle?" Miles asked.

"Yeah." Jase said quietly. "Sorry about that, they come in a lot too."

"I don't get it though." Miles looked over at Maria. "Two and a half centuries of social reform and movements and yet there's these regressionists. Walking carpet, dog-breath. I think I'll let the lieutenant slide by, he seems decent but misguided if that's the company he keeps."

"Tower is a slug." Maria fumed quietly. "He always tried to put himself on me when he's here."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Miles lowered his ears.

"You only just got back, and I hadn't been here for long." Maria sighed.

Tower fumed as he drank straight from the bottle, almost reluctantly passing it to Penders for him to pour some into his glass. Penders was tempted to clean the lip of it with his sleeve but didn't want to set him off any further.

"I can't believe a woman like her is sleeping with a goddamn xeno." Tower growled lowly. "Officer and a gentleman, puh. Navy, even worse. Spit and polish, damn Brits should have made them enter their damn poodle shows."

"He can probably hear you, sir!" Penders' voice was almost to pleading. "It'll be both of our careers in a sling."

Tower looked at the other man and shook his head. "Don't worry about him. I've got an idea and the best part is, we can come out of this like winners."

"What?" Penders blinked in confusion.

"Trust me. Though I have to say in all seriousness, the mouse, Ken? Really? Bad enough Robotnik's-agh, just shut up and follow my lead." Tower got up, grabbing the bottle and starting towards the bar.

"How much for the bottle?" Tower said as he stood behind the fox. Jase had his back turned to them.

"Lieutenant Prower picked up the tab on that." Jase said.

"Oh." Tower looked down at the fox. "Well, all right then." He turned up the charm in his voice. "Didn't have to do that. I suppose we'll have this forgotten then?"

The fox sat up, ears raised. "To be honest, no."

"I'm sure that you will forget about it." Tower palmed the bottle in his hand, Rotarl turning to look only seconds before Tower swung it out to smash it against the back of the fox's head.

The impact made Miles smack into the table and turned his vision black for a moment. Reaching out to brace himself to the table, he wobbled as a new sound could be heard in his ringing ears, Rotarl knocking her seat over as she launched herself at the human.

Tower batted at her with his free arm and snarled loudly as she bit through his green sleeve into his skin. "Get this fucking rabid bitch off me!"

Penders started towards the angry mouse, at first looking like he was going to try to interpose himself but before he could make his next move, he found a standard KRSN issue boot slamming into his solar plexus, sending him down onto his back.

Tower yowled and slashed at the mouse's head with the remains of the bottle in his other hand, causing her to bite down harder. Resistance training however was keeping them both at par. Tower dropped the bottle and tried slamming her into the fallen fox while reaching down for his holster. Seeing the black handgun coming out, Janus released him and felt around as the fox stirred onto his back. He was seeing double but saw the barrel of the gun as Rotarl put herself between the two, pulling the fox's Webley revolver out and holding it out at Tower in one hand.

"Put it away or I'll drop you." Janus snapped.

Tower tensed his finger on the trigger but then he noticed three things that made his base instinct for survival override him. The gleaming noses of the six .455s in the cylinder of the revolver, the sound of a pump action and the sight of Jase pointing a shotgun right at him. Tower started to lower himself down, setting the gun on the floor while Rotarl got up to her feet.

"You got him?" Jase asked.

"I do." Janus walked over and kicked the gun away before pointing the revolver down at the human's head. "Call station security down." Then she looked at Maria. "EMS too."

 **Medical Services – Level M4**

 **Space Station ARK**

"There it is." Maria grimaced as she studied the X-ray displayed on the tablet she held. Janus was looking over her shoulder, easily noticing the crack in the vulpine skull that the human was absently running her finger over. "Subdural hematoma, or at least the beginning of one. They'll crack his head open to remove the clot and repair the dura mater."

"You're not doing it yourself?" Rotarl asked.

"I'm nowhere near operating supervised, let alone on a neurosurgical case." Maria said with a shake of her head. "No, it will be Neurosurgery."

"How bad off will he be?" The mouse asked, looking over at Miles' inert form. Heavily sedated, he was changed out of his uniform and into the standard patient gown, lying on a bed. The only thing separating them from the others in Medical-Surgical Intensive Care was a curtain.

"Bringing him up was the right call after he lost consciousness. Repairing it quickly after the event, he'll bounce back. It's just-" Maria swallowed and lowered the tablet. "Stupid. Stupid, pointless and violent. That man, assuming he's even worthy of being known as in the same species as me, driven by jealousy and contempt. To think compared to Miles he saw himself as _better_. For a moment, I was hoping you would shoot him."

"I don't think the lieutenant would have wanted me to kill someone in cold blood though." Rotarl sighed quietly. "But if it makes you feel better, he is in _our_ brig. Lots of ruffled greenjackets visiting him, US Army CID has seen him as well as our Special Investigations Branch."

"Look at our modern, forward thinking army." Maria grumbled sarcastically. "We hate aliens and god forbid they mate with our kind, even if they're allies. I wonder how far the fall will be for Captain Tower."

"He'll get what he deserves." Janus said reassuringly. There was a small vibration that made Maria look down at her tablet. Then she heard footsteps and squeaking rubber as a team of three humans in the same color of scrubs that she wore walked up with a gurney.

"Miles Prower?" One of the nurses looked at the fox, then at Maria, who nodded.

"Date of birth?" The nurse asked, looking at her own tablet.

"October 16, 2092." Maria answered.

"Here for a craniotomy for a subdural hematoma repair?" The nurse asked, looking up at the fox.

"That's correct." Maria replied quietly. The nurse leaned in and lifted the fox's right hand up, looking over the identity bracelet clasped to his wrist. Maria and Janus moved back as the team started to detach the monitors and IVs, switching Miles onto portable equivalents before moving him over to the gurney. As they wheeled him away, she looked down at the tablet, reading the updated file as something got Janus' attention.

The surgical team had wheeled Miles out a set of double doors that opened on their approach and the mouse caught sight of another fox with dark blue hair covering his otherwise orange-reddish head. He held a small case in one hand with the hexagonal trefoil of Zenith Defense Industries on the side. The fox seemed to watch them move on before suddenly turning his yellow eyed gaze towards Janus, adjusting his rectangular framed glasses.

"Who is that?" Maria asked. She had noticed where the mouse was looking, scrutinizing Janus as she seemed to freeze for several moments before answering.

"I'm not sure." Rotarl said. "Whoever he is, it looks like he's from Zenith Defense."

"I've never heard of it." Maria raised the tablet, switching out to its Internet browser, initiating a search. Zenith Defense Industries, one of the first Keplerian defense contractors, founded by a Keplerian fox named Dr. Moddex Everest. His academic credentials stood up, largely Earth based institutes. Maria looked back up, finding the fox gone. She was certain that was Everest that they had seen, but why was the chief scientist of a top Keplerian defense contractor interested in Miles? Or was she overanalyzing the situation?


	12. Chapter 11: The Tower Falls

**Chapter 11**

 **Sunday, November 15, 2111**

 **Medical Services – Level M4**

 **Space Station ARK**

Vice Admiral Dr. Horatio Quack had come a long way from the Royal Acornian Army Medical Service. In fact, transferring to the KRSN and acting as its inaugural surgeon general was his swan song in a way. The avian grunted as he leaned forward over the railing of the fox's bed in the Med-Surg ICU, putting his penlight back into the pocket of his labjacket.

"Well for a young man of nineteen that got cracked upside the head with a bottle of bourbon, everything seems to be in order." Quack gestured towards the foot of the bed with both hands. "I think we can finally cut the lieutenant loose, Dr. Robotnik."

"Thank you, Admiral." Maria said, reaching out to massage Miles' right foot. "We can finally get you out of here entirely."

"Good." Prower's voice betrayed the drowsiness he still felt. Each day since surgery seemed to be the same, staring up at the ceiling, falling asleep and being woken up periodically to be checked on. With the precision used to repair the injury to his skull, he barely had a bald patch in his fur or a scar. The fox started to lean forward and blinked. "May I ask the admiral a question?"

"Of course, son." Quack nodded. Miles raised his eyes up and swallowed.

"Why exactly is the surgeon general of the Navy doing a workup on me?" he asked. "Not that I don't appreciate it, but it just seems strange. Did my father request it?"

"No, nothing like that." Quack raised his left hand up, then crossed his arms, flexing the fingers. "It was a request of the Judge Advocate." The avian blinked. "No one told you there would be a trial?"

"Someone might have mentioned it." Miles yawned and stretched. "Captain Tower's being tried, then?"

"It will be a combined panel consisting of random officers from both planets. I think the Royal Netherlands Navy got tapped for the judge." Quack explained. "My report is meant to assess your fitness to return to duty but also for the prosecution. Your father had no hand in this."

"So, I will likely be called in then." Miles concluded. Maria sighed and removed a folded sheet of paper and walked up to his right side, holding it out.

The fox stared at the document, sure enough a subpoena to come before the panel to speak as a witness for the prosecution. What he and others saw and did to be weighed and considered before either sparing or destroying another person's career in their service.

"Two days then. I'll be there of course, it will be nice to sleep somewhere that isn't a hospital bed at least. Maybe I'll get to talk to Rotarl as well." Miles said, but Maria shook her head.

"You won't be able to talk to Cadet Rotarl until it's finished, it's to maintain the integrity of the case." Maria explained, pointing at the paperwork. "The only reason I'm not restricted in the same way is because I didn't take...defensive action as well as our relationship."

The fox lowered his head for a moment. He still smoldered within with the knowledge that Tower had been pursuing her while he was away on the _Campbeltown_. Worse, to have him condemn them as something unnatural. They had gone for some time longing for one another unknowingly until that confession in June. Ovi obviously had no qualms and even honored his request that they tell Geralt and the others on their own terms. The Robotniks were fine with it and in his father's characteristic fashion there was silence, even then he would stare the one-eyed field marshal down on that if there was a so-called problem.

"Could I get unhooked, now?" Miles asked, raising his ears. Quack nodded and picked up the small remote attached to the bed railing and hit the call button. He stepped away towards the opening in the partition and waited for a nurse to appear. A Keplerian rabbit appeared and looked around in confusion to Maria first.

"Dr. Horatio Quack, surgeon general." The avian pointed to his visitor's badge. "You'll see me in the records as the lead attending physician for Lieutenant Prower. Please prepare him for discharge."

"Of course, Doctor." The rabbit bowed her head and walked up to the side where Quack had stood earlier, shutting the monitor down before removing the leads that were attached to the fox. Then she carefully removed the IV lines and tied the tubing up above the needle contacts, snipping them off into a biohazard container with a pair of scissors. The rabbit moved around to his right side now, lowering the railing. Maria opened a cabinet that was built into the wall and removed a white plastic bag. Quack stepped out with the nurse, closing the partition behind him to allow them privacy.

Miles sighed quietly and swung his feet out over the right side of the bed, reaching up to pull the gown up over his head, setting it down at the foot. Maria walked up and started to remove his clothing from the bag, setting his shoes on the floor.

"Uniform or regular clothes?" she asked.

"Uniform." Miles looked over to his left while she laid out what he recognized as his Blue No.3 dress. He took the white shirt and pulled it on, closing the cuffs before buttoning it up, straightening out his epaulets. Then he took the necktie and clipped it on at the collar before taking his pants, shaking them and putting them around his feet, leaning down into them before buttoning them up. Next came the belt and then his shoes. He stood up and took a careful step forward, finding his wallet and keys being pressed into his hands. Nodding, Miles put the wallet into a back pocket and his keys into his left pocket.

"Where now?" Miles asked.

"I have an apartment here." Maria said, reaching up to run her fingers against the back of his head. "There's a chair, a couch and a bed and you'd best stay in at least one of them at all times. I'm taking compassionate leave for the week."

"What about your residency work?" The fox gave a small growl of protest.

"It's covered. Now go on and let me fret over you for a few days." Maria placed her hands on her hips and gave him a piercing stare.

"Doctor's orders then." Miles reached down and took her hands, pulling her close, pressing his nose to the top of her head. Maria shuddered and ran her hands against his back.

 **Tuesday, November 17, 2111**

Today Maria had let him prepare breakfast and didn't admonish him for the cholesterol. The two had polished off their fried eggs, bacon, toast and sausages with a kettle of tea downed between them. The reverie was broken by a warbling from his tablet, indicating an incoming call. Miles lifted it up and accepted the call.

"Good morning, Lieutenant." Zincks blinked, the _Campbeltown_ 's bridge crew assembled behind her, leaning in and waving. The fox waved back and nodded.

"Good morning, Captain." Miles replied. "And to all of you, it's good to see you. I must apologize for missing the return from liberty."

"Apology noted." Zincks tilted her head. "Dress uniform, I take it the hearing is today."

"That's correct. The first JAG hearing I've ever been too, hopefully the last." Miles said.

"We've had a relief IWO who's doing well. For the time being until we return, you're being put on special duty." Zincks advised. "You'll be loaned to the Yard."

"The Yard? Here?" Miles raised his ears in confusion.

"Indeed, your presence here works well for the Navy. The _Warspite_ , once her hull is completed, pressurized and launched, will need an available IWO to oversee the design and installation of the communications systems." The tanuki smiled. "Until the launch, I'm sure the Yard could use your expertise with repairs and it will give you some other opportunities."

The fox wrinkled his nose for a moment. Sure, the _Campbeltown_ had a capable relief IWO aboard and it would be away for months but surely there was an open billet somewhere aside from the Yard. Was this an odd punishment detail? He shook the notion out of his head. Prower hadn't even _done_ anything that was inappropriate according to regulations except for allowing military property (i.e. his head) to be damaged.

"I suppose it would." Miles raised his eyes. "I must apologize if I sounded displeased by the prospect. This was my first operational assignment aboard ship. But I am here, and you are all out there. If this is where the Service needs me, this will be where I am."

"You'll work under Commander Amelia Rose, Yard Marine Engineering Officer." Zincks advised. "Until midnight local station time though, you will remain under my command nominally. I will have the duty schedule updated accordingly."

"Thank you, Captain." The fox raised his hand up to salute, which the tanuki returned before closing the connection.

 **Conference Room 1**

 **Central Security Level, Space Station ARK**

Regularly used for conferences with the station's security force, due to the circumstances involved with Captain Tower's attack, it was decided to show no favor to a service by way of venue, the conference room would be repurposed for the general court martial. Miles could see both Keplerians and humans of differing branches of service sitting together in a panel behind the two tables where prosecution and defense sat.

Tower was sitting behind the table that he saw at the left side, clad in his full Class A uniform with another Army officer, which he believed to be his defense. Another Army officer slowly sidled up to him and offered his hand. Miles looked down at the shorter officer who had greying short hair.

"Hello Lieutenant, Lieutenant Colonel Sardis Cogley, for the prosecution." The man introduced himself.

"Good afternoon." The fox raised his hand up to salute, which Cogley returned.

"We'll have you stay in the back here for now. Just stick to the MP and your master-at-arms and wait to be called." Cogley advised, gesturing to a seat nearby. Miles looked and saw an enlisted MP standing at one side of the chair, Knuckles at the other.

"Is he part of Tower's unit?" Miles asked.

"No, different company altogether." Cogley shook his head. The fox nodded and walked over to the chair, both the human and the echidna going through the motions of salute with him before he sat.

Of course, he didn't sit for very long as the bailiff turned to a connecting door which opened, admitting a tall, grey haired man with a trimmed beard in the uniform of the Royal Netherlands Navy.

"All rise!" The bailiff called out, causing the fox to come to his feet almost in unison. "The honorable Rear Admiral Albert Rakhorst presiding."

"Be seated." Rakhorst said, settling down in his chair and picking up the gavel at his right hand, bringing it down on the block. "Declare the case."

"Admiral, this is the case of United Nations Combined Allied Forces and the United States Army against Captain Abraham Tower of the United States Army."

"Name the charges to the accused." Rakhorst ordered, holding the gavel in hand.

"Captain Abraham Tower, United States Army is being charged with the following: Conduct unbecoming an officer under Article 133, conspiracy of multiple counts under Article 81, conduct prejudicial to good order and discipline under Article 134, contempt towards officials under Article 88, breach of the peace under Article 116, provoking speech under Article 117, assault under Article 128, assault with intent under Article 134-4 and drunkenness under Article 134-16."

"Captain Tower are you to enter a plea for all of the charges or individually?" Rakhorst asked.

"Captain Tower is pleading not guilty to all charges except the charge of drunkenness under 134-16." Tower's defense explained.

"Very well, proceed with opening statements." Rakhorst said, leaning back in his seat. Cogley stepped up and then turned to face the panel.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the panel, thank you for coming here today. The prosecution will prove without a reasonable doubt that Captain Abraham Tower had willfully and maliciously exchanged words with as well as attacked Lieutenant Miles Prower of the Keplerian Republic Space Navy on the date of Saturday, October 31, 2111 at the Blue Marble Lounge on this station. We have sufficient proof to convict and will provide the evidence to do so." Cogley proclaimed. "That's all that I have, Admiral."

"Very well, defense?" Rakhorst turned in his seat to look towards Tower.

"Admiral and assembled panel members." The defense attorney rose up. "Captain Abraham Tower has served in the United States Army since his late youth. He has served with no prior issues in his record and received excellent feedback from his command. This attack as you call it, is nothing more than a one-time lapse in judgement brought about by having too much to drink."

The fox tilted his head noticing that Cogley looked confused for a moment, then gave a look suggesting that he was about to shoot fish in a barrel.

"Prosecution may begin by calling witnesses." Rakhorst declared, centering his seat.

"The prosecution calls Lieutenant Miles Prower of the Keplerian Republic Space Navy." Cogley made a gesture behind his back as Knuckles and the MP started to step forward with the fox following between them. Knuckles gave Tower a look as the two escorted the fox to a seat beside Rakhorst.

"Raise your right hand." The bailiff said, stepping up before the fox, who did as he was asked.

"Under threat of perjury, do you swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth?" The bailiff asked.

"I do." The fox answered, lowering his hand.

"State your name, rank and service number." Cogley requested.

"Miles Annorax Prower, Lieutenant of the Keplerian Republic Space Navy, service number 921016-080701, sir." Miles supplied.

"And what is your current duty station?" Cogley asked.

"Information Warfare Officer for the destroyer KRSS _Campbeltown_ , sir." Miles answered, looking the human in the eye.

"Did you or did you not enter the Blue Marble Lounge aboard the ARK on the date of October 31, 2111?" Cogley asked, with arms crossed.

"I did, sir."

"Were you on duty at that time?" Cogley stepped closer to the table.

"No, sir. Captain Zincks had released us from duty until November 4th." Miles replied.

"Was there anyone accompanying you?" Cogley asked.

"Yes, sir. Two women, Dr. Maria Robotnik and Cadet Janus Rotarl." Prower said.

"Were these two women known to you?" Cogley lowered his arms to adopt a more neutral stance.

"Yes, sir."

"How do you know them?"

"I've lived with Dr. Robotnik's family before going into the service and well-" Miles trailed off.

"Well? Speak up, Lieutenant." Cogley pressed.

"Dr. Robotnik and I are in a relationship and have been for a few months, sir." The words came out quietly but were audible. His face flushed as he looked at the panel.

"Quite all right, Lieutenant. Now you also mentioned Cadet Janus Rotarl? How do you know her?" Cogley asked.

"Cadet Rotarl was actually rescued in a boarding action that the _Campbeltown_ participated in. She later joined the KRSN as a result and was visiting the ARK, sir." Miles answered.

"Which is what Cadet Rotarl also said in a written statement. I'd like the court to note this item as a testament to the lieutenant's character." Cogley said, looking to Rakhorst.

"Make it so." The rear admiral said, setting his gavel down.

"You were in uniform as well, correct?" Cogley asked the fox.

"That's correct, sir." The fox answered.

"Did you drink?" The human asked.

"Yes, sir. There's no prohibition in General Orders as long as we kept ourselves in control and of good character in uniform." Miles said.

"How much did you drink?" Cogley asked.

"No more than four glasses of Scotch, sir. And that might be an overstatement."

"And your mood at the time?" Cogley looked towards the panel.

"I was in good spirits, sir. Generous liberty time, Maria – Dr. Robotnik, had gotten into a surgical residency and of course reuniting with a friend, all for dinner. No reason not to be in a good mood."

"So, the three of you were having dinner and drinks when Captain Tower came in?" Cogley turned back to him.

"Two, sir. I stepped into the smoking area to have a pipe. I did not see Captain Tower and Lieutenant Penders enter but I heard them." Miles advised.

"What did you hear?" Cogley asked.

"Well, the bartender greeted them, sir. It sounded routine, two fellow blokes coming in for an Oktoberfest ale or something I thought at first. I had no preconceived notions of them, but then Captain Tower was coming onto Maria." Miles explained.

"How did she react?" Cogley crossed his arms again.

"She told him in no ambiguous terms that she was seeing someone, sir." The fox raised his ears.

"And that's when you finally appeared back in the bar?" Cogley asked.

"That's correct, sir."

"How did they react?"

"Lieutenant Penders didn't seem to react but Captain Tower didn't seem to take that very well, sir. He demanded another drink and I thought I'd try to make peace by offering to buy him a drink." Miles explained.

"How did Captain Tower react to this?" Cogley asked.

"He said he didn't want my money and then he made several statements regarding my...alien nature that I took offense to, sir." The fox said.

"Did you attempt to correct him?"

"I did, sir. Captain Tower continued to escalate and refused to answer to required identification. Lieutenant Penders did however identify himself and the captain. Ultimately it seemed he decided to leave us alone after I warned him and Lieutenant Penders suggested that he listen." The fox said.

"Then what did you do?" Cogley asked.

"I went back to my meal and decided to pay for the bottle they took to their table to make peace, sir. Captain Tower returned and tried to appeal to me to drop the issue. I thought about it but decided I would at the very least see to a reprimand. That's when he struck me from behind and I blacked out." Miles said.

"That will do," Cogley said. "Your witness, defense."

The defense attorney looked at Tower for a moment, speaking quietly with the captain, whose face reddened. "I have nothing, sir."

"Very well." Cogley looked up at Rakhorst. "Sir, I was considering calling another witness but actually I would like to present Exhibit A, the audio/video feed from the bar's security system."

Tower's eyes bulged as he looked to his attorney. The fox's ears twitched as he picked up on a few words.

"What tape?" Tower rumbled.

"It was in the discovery." The attorney said.

"Well did you watch it?" Tower growled. "You idiot!" Those words came out loudly.

"Captain Tower." Rakhorst rapped his gavel against the block. "Control yourself. If I hear another outburst like that, I will have you removed. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir." Tower lowered his head, his tone feigning apology.

"You may play Exhibit A." Rakhorst said to Cogley, who snapped his fingers. The lights in the room dimmed as a large projection screen came online. Speakers in the wall provided the audio. All seemed to watch as the two humans and the fox walked in, sat down and talked. Then exactly as Miles said, he stepped out as Tower and Penders came in. Second by second, Cogley could see his case be reinforced and Tower was glaring at Miles as he heard his own ravings. A small satisfied smirk was on his face as he heard the glass break against the back of the vulpine's head. It quickly disappeared as the feed ended.

"So, with that, Captain Tower viciously assaulted Lieutenant Prower, forcing him to be hospitalized with an acute subdural hematoma that had to be surgically evacuated and as a result, the lieutenant had to spend some time in recovery. This deprived his ship of his services and had the potential to damage not only his career in the KRSN but also his livelihood." Cogley proclaimed. "And this wasn't some spur of the moment hit out of passion. This was calculated. You've heard the pickups near Penders and Tower. The only thing that may have prevented worse injury was Cadet Rotarl holding Tower at gunpoint with her superior's gun. It is the prosecution's recommendation that Captain Tower be found guilty, dishonorably decommissioned and imprisoned."

"Any closing statements from the defense?" Rakhorst asked.

"None, sir." The defense attorney sighed as Tower glowered.

"You may rise, Lieutenant." Rakhorst said. "Panel, you may retire to your chambers. Call for the bailiff when you have reached a verdict."

The panel members started to rise as Miles did as well, deciding to return to his seat. Knuckles kept his eyes on Tower as the fox passed between the two tables. Prower quietly sighed as he settled down, hands on his knees.

Roughly five minutes passed but it seemed more like five seconds as the bailiff returned with a sheet of paper, the panel starting to take their seats in front of the fox. The bailiff stepped up and set the paper down before the admiral, who studied it, then looked up.

"Foreman of the panel, have you reached a verdict?" Rakhorst asked.

"We have." A French infantry captain said with near perfect English, standing.

"Captain Tower, please rise." Rakhorst commanded. The defense attorney rose with his client, turning to face the panel.

"We find Captain Abraham Tower guilty of the listed charges under Articles 81, 88, 117,133, 134, 134-4 and 134-16." The foreman said, lowering the paper that he had in his hand. "Unanimously."

"As you say." Rakhorst banged his gavel against the block twice. "Captain Tower," he prompted, causing all to look towards him. "Given the serious nature of these charges which consist of several felonies, and your unanimous conviction, along with the barbaric, intolerant and wantonly reckless nature of your actions, I have no choice but to agree with the prosecution's recommendations for sentencing. I hereby order your decommissioning from the United States Army, reduction to the rank of Private and the revocation of all awards and privileges earned. You will also serve 2 years of imprisonment at Fort Leavenworth and 1 year of hard labor at the service of the Army Corps of Engineers with a bad conduct discharge afterwards." Rakhorst banged the gavel again.


	13. Chapter 12: The Sinking Of EGB-01

**Chapter 12**

 **Space Station ARK**

 **Keplerian Republic Auxiliary Orbital Naval Yard**

 **Wednesday, November 18, 2111**

True to her word, Zincks had updated his duty schedule and after a solitary breakfast made in low-light so not to disturb Maria as she slept, Miles had made his way to the Yard. A female hedgehog with pink quills and green eyes was holding her coffee mug in one hand, staring at the cluster of monitors that showed the operational status of the ships docked as well as the status of her team.

Miles stood still, waiting for her to notice him. Finally, her seat creaked as she turned it to face him, grumbling as the fox hastily saluted.

"Lieutenant Miles Prower reporting from KRSS _Campbeltown_ as ordered." Tails declared with a gulp.

"Commander Amy Rose. No one bloody well calls me Amelia in my shop if they call me by first name at all. That's rule number one, Lieutenant." Rose yawned, taking a greedy sip from her mug before looking back at her monitors, squinting. Sure enough, she found him in her group, bringing up his file and staring at it for a few moments before looking back at him. "You'll do."

"Commander?" The fox tilted his head in curiosity.

"The first thing you can do is supervise the yard repair party for KRSS _Knothole_. Since you are information warfare, perhaps you could also do a forensic dump on her computer systems as well. Apparently the Acornians have been playing with some viruses and somehow managed to slip one into either her or the American destroyer that was in a division with her. One of them instigated a collision into the other, I'm fairly certain it was the _William D._ _Porter_ though."

"After that?" Prower asked.

"Well if all checks out, then look after our repair tender. KRSS _I.K. Brunel_." Commander Rose gave him a look as she saw the next question coming before it was formed. "Named for Isambard Brunel. You do know some history, don't you?"

"Yes, Commander." The fox lowered his ears slightly. "If I may request the commander's leave to get started?"

"Permission granted." Amy said, turning back to her monitors as the fox left the room.

 **Friday, June 3, 2112**

 **Earth Orbit**

After familiarizing himself with his newfound Yard duties, Miles had found himself updating systems on not only Keplerian ships but ships from the allied services as well. The good thing was that after duty was over, he did not have to return to the Yard barracks, but to Maria's apartment. There were sometimes days or nights (depending on his rotation) where he wouldn't see her, wandering the station instead or curling up on her couch with a book in hand, pipe in mouth.

But when she was there with him, the human would usually be flattened against him, wherever he sat or laid. With her hair tie off, it would scatter all around and usually get caught up in his ears. Those striking, intelligent blue eyes meeting his own but betrayed by the dark circles under them. Despite haphazard hair, worn eyes and runaway makeup, he still found her to be the best that either planet had to offer. On the days that he would have to leave right as she returned, Maria would cling to him and receive an apologetic lapping from his tongue before he pried her from him with care.

Over that time, his responsibilities in the Yard grew as well, all the way up to becoming the de facto commander of the _I.K. Brunel_. After refamiliarizing himself on command procedures and a crash course through the KRSN's online training systems, he directed operations from the tender nervously at first but began to grow into it. The one thing that he still had to get used to was not correcting the crew when they called him captain.

Today seemed like any other day on the _Brunel_ , his cap now had gold trim on the visor to match with his command of the ship. The bridge layout was like the _Campbeltown_ due to the similarity in hull setup, only weapon points were replaced largely with lifting equipment and mech pods. He had his pick of unassigned crew to staff the _Brunel_ under Commander Rose's authority, and that also extended towards picking officer cadets from BRNC that needed the cruise time to complete their certifications. Naturally Officer Cadet Rotarl was invited and found herself packed in, working at the mech bay, being familiarized with the suits by the ratings.

At times they would find themselves hopping from ship to ship, assisting civilian craft and sometimes providing consultation to chief engineers of military vessels. Instead of hopping back to the Yard to eat and rest, they would all stay on board, treating the _Brunel_ like the other ships of war. There was a small galley staff, but they were efficient enough to put meals together and to handle the needs of the wardroom where the officers and cadets gathered.

This was where things began to tilt downwards. The first few games of contract bridge went well for him and Rotarl until they ran into some sharp defenses. To make matters worse, the fox tapped his pipe out into his ashtray and reached into his zippered pouch to find it was empty, having run through his supply since dinner ended and the game began. Then came the bosun's pipes and the ship-wide intercom going off.

"Captain to the bridge, ship reported in distress."

He picked up the red handset phone at his position at the head of the table and dialed the intercom circuit itself.

"All hands, action stations!" The fox declared, setting the phone down and tossing his cards at the table, digging in his pouch for a few more scraps of tobacco to put in, wrinkling his nose to find that it was in fact completely empty. He put his empty pipe into his mouth and chewed at the stem as he stalked to the bridge, settling into his chair. The executive officer, another full lieutenant, picked up his handmic and offered it to him.

"Appears to be a shuttle, sir. Going rather quickly, maximum rated speed." The exec advised as Prower keyed the mic.

"This is Lieutenant Miles Prower, commanding the repair tender KRSS _I.K. Brunel_. Please advise of your name and ship's registry as well as the nature of your distress." The fox said into the handmic.

" _I.K._ _Brunel_ , this is Dr. Ovi Robotnik of the Swedish flagged private shuttle _EGB-01_." The voice on the other side was familiar but the transmission broke up in some parts. "Did you…did you say your name was Prower?"

Tails rose up to his feet, lowering the mic and swallowing, feeling his pulse quicken. He raised the mic back up and pressed down on the transmit button.

"That is correct _EGB-01_. What is the nature of your distress?"

"Power systems are surging, and my engines are locked to full. Emergency reactor shutdown is not responding. Can you help me _Brunel_?" The calm voice coming from Ovi was betrayed by a slight edge of panic.

Miles thought for a moment, looking at the master status board.

"With your present course you're going to go into the Warp Gate. We will follow you through and take you under tow if we can't get you stopped beforehand. Remain calm, Doctor. Your craft's generations better than the Space Shuttle. Continue to attempt shutdown, we will be with you shortly." The fox said.

"Acknowledged _Brunel_. I'll...I'll try." Robotnik's transmission cut off.

"All engines forward, make revolutions for emergency flank!" The fox barked.

"All engines forward, make revolutions for emergency flank speed. Aye, aye, Captain!" The helmsman behind him pushed the engine telegraph all the way forward, the bell going off in the bridge.

The _Brunel_ 's exhausts burned brightly as it started to hurtle forward towards the stricken shuttle on an intercept course as it also pressed forward at maximum speed towards the multicoloured swirl that was the Earth-to-Kepler terminus.

"Tactical, a tractor beam on the _EGB-01_ , please." Miles said.

"Tractor beam on contact Master 1, aye sir." The engineering sub-lieutenant at tactical acknowledged. A blue hued beam started to appear before the bow of the ship on the external camera display. It contacted the shuttle, causing the tender to shudder from the added acceleration.

"All right let's put the brakes on. All back full!" Miles bellowed.

"Helm answers, all back full, aye aye!" The telegraph lever this time was yanked towards the helmsman, the bell followed by a loud alert klaxon. More shuddering could be felt in the floor as the tender and shuttle battled, engine against engine. The tender was meant to be able to tow destroyers on its own, a shuttle should have been a cakewalk.

"What in blazes-" The fox sputtered as he dropped the handmic, letting it swing as he went to the communications station, pushing the midshipman there aside, bringing up the information warfare systems. Why didn't he think of that before? His fingers cramped, causing him to wince as he worked the keyboard and mouse, initiating a systems intrusion.

Whatever that happened had created a power overload that wiped out most of the core system functions. Ovi only had communications due to redundant (yet reliable) radio. The fox brought his fist down on the station's enclosure. The same overload was putting the shuttle's engines to redline. If they didn't get over there to bring it under control, it was likely going to blow.

He marched back to his seat and steepled his fingers, contemplating his last resort.

"Tactical, we're not well armed but we should at least have a pop-gun, right?" Miles asked.

"Yes, sir." The sub-lieutenant carefully looked over his console. "That's affirmative."

"Target Master-1's engines and fire at will, but only to disable." The fox ordered.

"Aye sir." The sub-lieutenant fed the target information into the fire control sub-computer. The exterior camera for the gun was blinded by the bright yellow-white muzzle flash of the railgun. The projectiles flew by the shuttle harmlessly as the gun attempted to correct, firing again. Unexpectedly, the tractor beam gave out while the gun also stopped.

Unimpeded, the shuttle started forward, flying into the Warp Gate while Miles fumed. Why did he take the offered command of this garbage scow? He pointed out at the Warp Gate terminus.

"Take us in. Maybe we'll have some help stopping him on the other side." The fox sighed resignedly as the tender followed. Suddenly the craft shuddered, but more violently almost as if something exploded near it, causing it to list to port. It made it through though, but to his confusion there was nothing but regular civilian shipping and escorts on the Kepler-22B side.

Miles picked up the handmic.

"This is the KRSS _I.K. Brunel_ calling for _EGB-01_. Please acknowledge." The fox requested.

There was nothing but dead silence on the other side.

"This is the KRSS _I.K. Brunel_ calling for _EGB-01_. Please acknowledge." He repeated, but silence was all that he got.

"This is the repair tender KRSS _I.K. Brunel_ requesting communication with the closest ships. Has anyone seen a shuttle in distress called _EGB-01_?"

"This is the USS _Lafayette_." A male, Cajun accented voice came back. "No shuttle of that registry's passed through here."

" _Brunel_ , this is the Master Yard, repeat the name of the ship you are tracking." A female voice cut in.

" _EGB-01_ under the Swedish flag, registered to either Dr. Ovi Robotnik or Eggbot Corporation." Prower replied.

"We've got nothing, _Brunel_. There was a strange disturbance in the Gate reported by the ARK a few minutes ago but other than that nothing. Sorry, I think you lost him." The operator at the Master Yard said, nonchalant and professional.

The fox slowly lowered his head and closed his eyes, gripping the armrest of his seat with his free hand while his left hand shook.

"Acknowledged Master Yard. We...we are returning to our original station Earth-side. _Brunel_ out." The fox closed the connection and sighed, defeated. "Make way towards the Yard, helm."

"Aye, aye, captain." The helm responded. He paid little attention to the ding of the telegraph bell and seemed to be in a stupor as the tender turned around and shot through the Warp Gate. Once they emerged from the other side, he grabbed the handmic again.

"Put the Yard on." Miles said quietly.

Communications adjusted, putting him on a dedicated channel for the Auxiliary Yard. He held the mic for a moment, staring down at it and took his hat off, setting it in his lap.

"Lieutenant Prower calling for Commander Rose." The fox said quietly.

"Rose here." Amy's tone was business-like as usual.

"Commander, please call Dr. Maria Robotnik to the Yard. There's been an incident with her cousin's shuttlecraft." Miles requested.

"I heard some of the chatter from the Master Yard." Amy replied. "I'll have her sent down as soon as possible."

"Thank you, Commander." The fox's voice was hollow. He released the transmit button and looked up at helm. "Take us in for tethering."

The tender made its way back to the Yard slowly, obeying docking regulations while also giving Commander Rose time for the call he figured she would be making. Once the tender was settled in, he rose up to his feet and put his hat on.

"Start retention procedures for all station logs. No one is to leave the ship until Commander Rose says otherwise." Miles ordered. He then proceeded off from the bridge, making his way towards the gangway. Amy was waiting on the other side while the two familiar figures of Knuckles and Maria approached.

"Miles?" Maria strode up the gangway, holding her arms out to him. "Are you all right?"

"I'm...-" The fox hesitated and swallowed. "I'm fine, but I didn't call you here about me. It's about Ovi."

"What about Ovi?" Maria asked, pulling him closer. He shuddered and closed his eyes, lowering his head. "What is it? I've never seen you upset like this before."

He looked towards Amy, hoping that she might spare him from what he would have to say but the hedgehog just watched as if to ensure he'd do it himself. The burden of command personified by her stare. _You were in the Big Chair, Lieutenant._ Swallowing again, he raised his head up and looked Maria in the eye, throat feeling dry.

"Ovi's dead. There was an accident with his shuttle and I tried to help him. I lost him." The fox choked out. "It's my fault."

"What?" Maria widened her eyes and reached up, pressing a hand to his face, causing him to flinch. "Miles, why would-"

"Don't!" Tails snapped, causing her to step back. "Please," he relaxed his tone. "Don't, it's my fault." He looked back at the tender and took his cap off, starting to sidle past her, looking at Amy. "Commander, I..I'm resigning my command of the _Brunel_ effective immediately. I'm no good for this, I should have never captained her. I'm no good at any of this." He pressed the hat out into the hedgehog's surprised hands as he came off the gangway, stalking away. Maria started to follow but Amy held her back.


	14. Chapter 13: Mobius

**Chapter 13**

 **Unknown Location**

 **(Assumed Kepler-22B)**

 **Unknown Date & Time**

 _Remain calm, Doctor._

 _We will be with you shortly._

Smoke was pouring from consoles that were split open by the crash. Ovi came to, sputtering as he tried to lean back into his chair, which had curled inward from the momentum. Groaning, the human put his weight into the cushion, reaching down to unbuckle the safety belt. Freed from it, he jolted himself away from his seat and tried to take a few steps, falling to his knees. Fire was burning from other consoles.

He had to get away from here, there was no telling whether the reactor had shut down or if it was threatening up to go up. Pain rippled through his body as he crawled across the floor, fragments of display panels scattered all around. Robotnik heard a warbling sound, then saw the familiar figures of Orbot and Cubot coming towards him. He held his hands out towards them, coughing.

"Help me!" Ovi called out. The two robots took off towards him, hovering over him, lowering down to wrap their arms around him.

"Should we be moving him?" Cubot asked the other robot.

"There are no spinal injuries at least." Orbot replied. They started to lift Ovi up and floated slowly towards the open door leading out of the pilot's cabin. The human coughed and spasmed, taking note of the forest that they were in.

"Get as far away from the shuttle as you can. Minimum distance from engine explosion." Ovi pleaded. "Have you contacted emergency services?"

"Nothing answers on the standard frequencies." Orbot reported as they continued to carry him away.

"Do you know where we are at least?" Ovi asked.

"There is no response from GPS." Orbot replied, shaking his head.

"Is there anything out here that you can detect?" Ovi asked. The two robots swept their heads around, scanning.

"One human in a vehicle coming this way." Cubot said.

"Go to it! If anything, they can't be close to the shuttle if it goes up!" Ovi sputtered.

The two robots would carry him off towards the vehicle which seemed to slow down and stop on the road it was on. Its lone occupant got out and stared at the strange sight as they set Ovi down on the road in front of him. He was a short, bald headed man save for a reddish-brown goatee similar in color to Ovi's. He wore a turquoise one-piece outfit and black boots.

"Did you come from that crash?" The man said, slowly rolling Ovi onto his back, receiving a nod in response. The man pressed two fingers to Ovi's neck and looked down at a watch.

"He is in no immediate danger, for now." Orbot said, floating directly over Ovi with his arms crossed. "Who are you?"

"My name is Julian Snively, I work for the Guardian Unit of Nations." The man said.

"You have to get us away from here," Ovi reached up and took Snively's arm. "If the reactor on that shuttle goes supercritical, it's fusion."

"Fusion? Instead of fission? Where did you come from, exactly?" Snively asked.

"Earth of course." Ovi said quietly.

"But no one here has come close to fusion power yet." Snively protested. "I'd know. Are you sure it's going to go critical though? I should go have a look."

"I don't recommend it." Ovi protested.

"Well it won't matter if I'm wrong, will it? Just allow me a few minutes, if it's bad then we'll get on out of here." Snively suggested.

"Go with him, Orbot." Ovi said weakly as he started to climb up to his feet. "May I get into your car?"

"Of course." Snively reached into the open driver's side and removed a bottle of water, opening it and putting it into Ovi's hand. "Stay here though, when I get back I'll get you to a doctor."

"Thank you." Ovi took a small sip of water and sighed in relief as the other human took off with Orbot towards the wreck.

"What were you doing in that ship anyways?" Snively asked, deciding to strike up a conversation with the robot.

"The doctor was on his way to a robotics conference on Kepler-22B." Orbot advised. "There was a problem with the engine and a repair tender tried to rescue him. The captain is a close family friend, Lieutenant Miles Prower."

"Related to Amadeus Prower by chance?" Snively asked as they moved through the brush.

"His son." Orbot replied. That caused Snively to come to a stop, blinking.

"His son? His son's still school age if I recall, he couldn't be commanding a repair tender. And in any case, _whose_ repair tender?" Snively asked.

"The Keplerian Republic Space Navy's. KRSS _I.K. Brunel_." The robot seemed to stare at Snively in scrutiny.

"I've never heard of it. As for Kepler-22B, that's a very far ways away." Snively countered. "Well, we'll see soon enough." As they advanced towards the shuttle, he climbed into the pilot's cabin and looked around, stepping carefully. Orbot picked up a fire extinguisher and tested it against one of the console fires.

Snively noticed two cases that were heaped onto the floor and knelt to open one up, finding Ovi's tablet inside. He turned it on, amazed at the speed that it started. Orbot turned and stared at him again.

"I didn't take you to be a snooper." Orbot admonished.

"As my colleagues would say, I'm snooping as usual." Snively said, finding an app for shuttle control and diagnostics. "Here we go. Structure is shot, but you see-" He gestured towards the next compartment. "The reactor your friend is so concerned about is shut down." He thumbed away from it and started to look at the notes application. "This can't be right. The last entry date is in the year 2112. That's been centuries ago."

"Centuries ago? Are you saying we're in the future?" Orbot dropped the fire extinguisher with a loud clang.

"It would mean your friend is right, he is from Earth. Old Earth at least, but it leads a lot to question. The technology here is more advanced than what we have." Snively pocketed the tablet and closed the case that he was digging through. "Here, you can take these out." Then he turned away and took out a phone.

"Put me through to GUN Command." Snively could be heard saying as the robot grudgingly lifted both cases in each hand. "You won't believe this but there's something monumental that needs to be recovered. That shuttle crash noted earlier? Yes. Get me Command, we need a recovery team out here."

After acknowledgement came, Snively hung up the phone. He wasn't going to let this find go to where someone else could take the credit. At the same time, he promised Robotnik a doctor. The man would be his ticket to greater things, so he might as well show some consideration. He started to move out from the shuttle, gesturing for Orbot to follow, getting a low groan.

"I didn't realize that I was in the company of a fellow scientist." Snively said, noticing that Ovi had gotten into the passenger seat. He went around to the back and opened the hatch for Orbot to deposit the two bags. Ovi was holding Cubot, absently patting the robot on the head.

"Are we going then?" Ovi asked, turning his head towards the back seat.

"We're waiting for a recovery team, we can't just leave your shuttle out here like this of course." Snively said.

"From where?" Ovi asked.

"The Guardian Unit of the Nation of course." Snively said, coming back into view after closing the hatch.

"I've never heard of it, I've only heard of Republic Forces here." Ovi said, scratching at his hair.

"That is because you're mistaken as to where you are." Snively explained.

"As well as _when_ , Doctor." Orbot cut in, floating around to the driver side door. "This man has never heard of Kepler-22B and referred to us as coming from _Old_ Earth. The year was undeclared."

"Day 46 in the year 3232 to be exact." Snively said.

"Monday, February 16, 3232." Cubot and Orbot said almost in unison.

"My, my. You have traveled far to refer to the days in that old-fashioned way." Snively mused with a small chuckle.

"So, we've somehow made it into the future from the accident." Ovi said quietly. "Stuck in the future. Or are we really? Do your people know anything about time travel? Does the Warp Gate still stand?"

"I'm afraid I don't know of this Warp Gate you speak of." Snively shook his head.

"It's been a set piece of the ARK for some time at least back when I came from." Ovi protested.

"There was some advanced research done there under Gerald Robotnik, but it has been shut down for the last few decades." Snively replied. "Wait a moment, you're a Robotnik as well. A distant ancestor!"

"Geralt." Ovi corrected.

"What?" Snively blinked in confusion.

"Geralt, my grandfather. He was due to come on as chief scientific advisor to the ARK." Ovi countered.

"Then we have an incongruity, Doctor. The ARK hasn't been around for very long. It was shut down after the Project Shadow raid." Snively put in. "Which means you are from an alternate timeline."

"That was exactly what I was about to determine." Ovi leaned back in his seat and sighed in despair. "No Warp Gate, no way to reliably reproduce the problem that brought me here. I'm stranded then." Then he lowered his head. "My parents and grandparents, Maria, my friends." The man's eyes bulged. "Miles. He was the last one to hear from me. My poor friend."

"Don't fret, Doctor. You still have friends here, you can count me among them. Your knowledge and insight about where and when you've come from will be of great importance to us. Why, you could work for G.U.N with me. My word carries some weight there. We can also fix your identity in the databases. Maybe even get your shuttle working again and devise a way to get you home." Snively offered.

"You would do that for a man you barely know?" Ovi asked.

"You're a Robotnik, regardless of where you come from that name still has some value to us here." Snively said, offering his hand. The other human leaned in and took it with a firm shake. Then the two could hear droning motors and propeller drives. Ovi lowered the window on the passenger side and looked up.

"What is that?" he asked as he could catch a glimpse of what seemed to resemble an Osprey VTOL tiltrotor aircraft from the early 21st century coming down.

"That is our ride out of here and back to headquarters. To better things for us both." Snively said, smirking.

 **Tuesday, February 17, 3232**

 **Mount Freedom – G.U.N Headquarters**

 **United Federation, Mobius**

The trip on the tiltrotor had brought Ovi and Snively to a mountain installation in what oddly reminded Ovi of Colorado. Once the quartet of humans and robots disembarked, Ovi looked down at Orbot.

"Is this familiar to you in some way?" Ovi asked Orbot.

The robot glanced around before crossing his arms and giving a subtle nod.

"Without a GPS link to confirm, I have a slight degree of confidence that we are standing outside of what would have been Cheyenne Mountain, former headquarters for the North American Aerospace Defense Command." Orbot replied.

"What's preventing you from getting a GPS link, anyways?" Ovi asked.

"The frequency does not answer. Either the system is not in place, which does not seem likely or it's on a different frequency. Or the frequency is encrypted." Orbot answered.

"Pick at it, would you?" Robotnik noticed Snively coming to a stop as soon as he noticed that Ovi was not following. The three started forward as two soldiers from the tiltrotor took up the lead. Then they came to a stop before a man in digital camo patterned fatigues with four gold stars on each collar. He had a thin run of black hair with mutton chops.

"What's all of this about time travelers, Snively?" The man grumbled.

"Sir, first let me introduce you." Snively looked nervously towards Ovi. "Dr. Ovi Robotnik, this is General Hugo Brass, commander of the Guardian Unit of the Nation."

"Robotnik?" Brass narrowed his eyes. "As in Gerald Robotnik?"

"Yes and no, it's rather complicated." Snively swallowed nervously.

"So now between dealing with the Overlander-Acornian War, we have another Robotnik in our hands. Just what I needed." Brass grumbled.

"What? Madman? I'll have you know that I am a man of great character, General. I am both an engineer but also a businessman. My firm is rated as one of the best in the personal robotics industry." Ovi countered.

"Was," Snively corrected quietly.

"Was, I mean. Before the accident, yes." Ovi sighed and held his hand out. "I would like to learn more about where I am and the history. Ideally, I'd like to get back home but if I am stranded here, I am not going to make enemies if I can avoid it. I'd rather have friends, I could use them right about now."

Brass stared down at Robotnik's hand and made a small grunt before reaching up to take it.

"Take Dr. Robotnik to Medical for evaluation, then scare up a historian somewhere. I don't care if you must fly over to Central City University to take their chairman. I want a debrief and a good one. If all checks out, there might be a consultant job for you to fill." Brass said.

 **Mount Freedom Canteen**

Ovi found himself sitting across from a man with greying brown hair and bushy eyebrows, wearing the familiar 'uniform' of a university don; brown suit, white shirt, bow-tie (red), khaki slacks and dark brown loafers. Two mugs of coffee sat between them as well as a large notebook and recording device.

"Good afternoon, Doctor." The man said with a smile. "Professor Dillon Pickle, Central City University, Assistant Chair of History."

"Dillon Pickle?" Ovi couldn't help but to laugh softly, earning a wider smile from the professor.

"I like to think my parents named me that so that I would remember to take humor in the smallest of things." Pickle said, gesturing towards the recorder. "May I tape this?"

"Of course, Professor." Robotnik nodded.

"This is Professor Dillon Pickle with Dr. Ovi Robotnik, interview number one on day 47 of the year 3232." Pickle started.

"February 17th on our calendar." Ovi interjected.

"Yes, that way of recording is long antiquated here. So, I'll first start with a rather basic question, Doctor. Where and..when are you from?" Pickle started.

"Well, I came from Earth, Sweden to be exact. The day was June 3, 2112." Robotnik answered.

"Day 155 of 2112. Interesting. There're very little surviving sources from that era, and you called it Earth, not Mobius. How large was the human population there at the time?" Pickle asked.

"That's a rather strange question. Vast, billions upon billions of people. Add in the Keplerians as well." Robotnik said.

"The Keplerians?" Pickle blinked.

"Yes, aliens that resemble Earth animals in a way." Ovi explained.

"Ah, Mobians." Pickle nodded.

"That reminds me, General Brass mentioned something about an Acornian war? There's Acornians here?" Ovi pulled at the collar of his shirt, nervously.

"Indeed, there are. Is there something to be concerned about?" Pickle asked.

"I should say so if they are anything like the ones I know of." Ovi made a face. "When we came across them in 2085, they were testing the effects of radiation on prisoners of war and nearly dropped the bomb on their enemies. Fortunately, Colonel Prower overthrew the Acornian king and sent him packing. Are they like that here?"

"Not by far but they have been locked in a back and forth conflict with the Overlanders for some time." Pickle said, writing some notes down. "So, the Kingdom of Acorn was overthrown in 2085 where you came from and Earth, unblemished. Where did the name Keplerian come from?" 

"The planet they inhabited was detected in the last century, the 21st century by the Kepler Telescope. Kepler was a revolutionary scientist that it was named after. The actual name of the planet was Kepler-22B. A little bit smaller than Earth and not as densely populated as Earth, yet." Ovi said.

"How were things around the time you left?" Pickle asked.

"Never better, I'd say. Peace certainly, the Keplerian Republic relies on Earth for many things, we'd never go to war. But the Acornians are still out there, somewhere they established colonies. As a matter of fact, one of my closest friends sometimes ran into their pirates. He tried to rescue me from this predicament that brought me here." Ovi lowered his eyes.

"Do you want to talk about him?" Pickle asked.

"I don't see why not. His name is, was Miles Prower. I think he was nineteen at the time. Lieutenant in the Keplerian Republic Space Navy. A fox, two-tailed. Rather rare even for them. Very talented in mathematics and electronics. He lived with my grandfather for a time and-" Robotnik's face flushed. "He was in a relationship with my cousin, Maria." He took notice of the way Pickle's eyebrows raised. "Well why not? Miles was just as smart as she was, and he treated her like an empress. We leave questions about race at the door in the 22nd century, Professor."

"Noted," Pickle waved his pencil around. "I was just surprised because if anything, that at least gives me some faith that humanity evolved where and when you came from. If I may ask, what is the distance between the two worlds? How do you get back and forth?"

"It's a significant distance, 587 light-years. 37,128,836 AU if that's still a thing here. As for how we get back and forth, there was a Warp Gate established in the mid-21st century. The best I can tell you is that it's an artificially opened wormhole. May I borrow a scrap of paper and your pencil?" Robotnik asked.

"Of course." Pickle tore a blank sheet out and held it out with the pencil. Ovi drew a circle on the top of the page, then another at the bottom, then a straight line between them.

"Let's say that is a linear path between the two. 587 light-years as I said. The speed of light is almost 300 million meters a second, so it's 9.461 trillion kilometers covered in only one year. You still have another 586 to go and there is no way outside of maintaining generation ships or a significant advance to get there in a linear fashion, that's even assuming you can hit light speed to begin with." Robotnik explained. "We have neither the power source or the engine to come close to half of light speed. But what we do have is the Warp Gate. At some point, we apparently received old Keplerian artifacts in the early 21st. Seven gems that ended up in the hands of the United States, that's America. They didn't know what they did at first until they loaned them to CERN. Found out rather quickly that they were a near infinite power source when combined. Powerful enough to warp space-time itself to create a wormhole, but only to one destination, the Kepler-22 system. Or at least so we thought." He folded the sheet of paper in half, lining up the two circles, then poked the pencil through the center of each circle.

"So, you thought?" Pickle blinked.

"I went through the Warp Gate during a shuttle accident. Somehow, instead of ending up at the Kepler-22 system as intended, I'm here now. Now that I think about it, if I could find those emeralds here, I might have a way back home. I may very well be able to pioneer trans-temporal travel." Robotnik mused, twirling one end of his mustache around a finger in thought.


	15. Chapter 14: Warspite

**Chapter 14**

 **Conference Room 1**

 **Central Security Level, Space Station ARK**

 **Wednesday, August 3, 2112**

The walk to Conference Room 1 reminded Miles mainly of the time when he had to testify against Abraham Tower. But now this time he was facing the possibility of being the one who would be removed from service and decommissioned. Investigators within the KRSN as well as other agencies had questioned him and went over the records of the _I.K. Brunel_ , records that were carefully preserved by his orders. Even then, the possibility of decommissioning or some other administrative punishment was nothing compared to the feelings of guilt that weighed on him.

He had promised Ovi that he would help him, and those words had been empty. He had the responsibility of rescuing a man that was a close friend and failed. There were many possible ways that the actions which he took while commanding the _Brunel_ could have contributed to the loss of _EGB-01_. A push or a pull in the wrong way with the tractor beam. Firing weapons at an unarmed ship, even a popgun. One factor, all the factors, in the end he was the one in command.

A man was dead because of him. True to his word, he had resigned command of the _Brunel_ , which was going nowhere anyways because of the investigation. He stayed to his normal yard duties, answering questions when needed. The hard parts consisted of the funeral, waiting for the review results and the fact that he was living with Maria the entire time. He had gone to the funeral to pay his respects to an empty casket and despite Geralt and Maria both assuring him that they did not find him at fault, he was beside himself.

Miles felt inadequate and dreadfully underqualified for a command role. He was certain that he had made a mistake somewhere in his captaincy. Now the board of inquiry was going to announce that they had found it and declare when he was to appear for general court martial, he was certain of it. He was about to open the door into the conference room when he felt a hand close around his left arm.

"You're not going in there alone." Maria said. The fox flickered his ears before lowering them.

"Are you sure you want to be around me? The negligent 'Captain' Prower? I'm going to get cashiered and sent off to break rocks. I'm certain of it." Miles said, dejectedly.

"No, you're not." Maria ran her hand up along his arm, then finally pressed it against his cheek. "It was an unexpected accident. You need to let go of the notion that you could have done something different. The shuttle was out of control long before you got to it."

"I still didn't help matters. I should have known better, I should have let him sail through and followed. I should have called for help from the Master Yard. He would have still been here today if I had." The fox protested.

"You don't know that." Maria countered, gently running her fingers through his fur.

"How don't I? I've been running the situation through the simulators, there's several different ways I deviated from the textbook." Miles growled. "That's by self-critique alone, I'm about to get ripped apart by a board of inquiry. Are you sure that you want to be around someone like me?"

"I am, even when you're wound up and anxious over nothing." Maria said, now scratching at the back of his left ear. "I'm going in with you."

The vulpine's muzzle flushed as he reached up with his right hand, gently taking the human's left and bringing it down to her waist. "So be it, then." He opened the door slowly and stepped in. This time the familiar face of Rear Admiral Seetan was watching him.

"Lieutenant Prower, reporting as ordered." Prower saluted and removed his hat.

"Lieutenant Prower." The wolf rose up from his seat, the room was otherwise empty. "Doctor Robotnik." He opened his briefcase and removed a booklet, pushing it out towards the fox. "The board of inquiry had convened and rendered a decision regarding evaluation of your conduct commanding the repair tender _I.K. Brunel_."

Here we go, the fox thought, swallowing nervously. You are hereby guilty of gross negligence in the conduct of command of a military vessel as well as causing a death by way of negligence. You are to be decommissioned and sent to Who Knows Where for 5 years of hard labor.

"After reviewing logs from the _Brunel_ , along with interviews with the officers and crew, and peer review from other repair tenders along with consultation with engineering officers and science staff, the board has decided that your actions were considered to be above reproach and did not contribute to the loss of the shuttle _EGB-01_ or its inhabitants." Seetan declared. "You may review the board's report and retain this copy."

"Sir?" The fox raised his ears in confusion. "That's it? Not guilty?"

"Lieutenant." The wolf stared at him. "You would have had to have committed a violation of regulations, let alone a crime to be considered guilty or not guilty of something. I've heard you have been beating yourself up over the incident." Then Seetan looked at Maria. "I'm giving you the Navy's final word on the matter, it wasn't your fault. Do I make myself clear?"

"Y-Yes, sir." Prower straightened his posture as rigidly as he could.

"Also, be ready to switch out for a new posting. The orders will be cut soon enough. You will be reporting on the specified date that these orders give to Commanding Officer KRSS _Warspite_. Commander Rose and Lieutenant Commander Zincks put a favorable opinion of your skills in information warfare in your jacket, Lieutenant. You're going to be one of _Warspite_ 's plankowners." Seetan said. "That is all, dismissed."

The two exchanged salutes and Miles returned his hat to his head. He turned on his heel and walked out of the room with Maria following beside him.

 **Wednesday, November 30, 2112**

 **Auxiliary Orbital Naval Yard, Space Station ARK**

Launch day for a vessel usually drew public attention. Especially so for a battleship, whether sea or space. Such a vessel was a symbol of power, the intent of projecting it whether for attack or defense. Miles had come in his dress uniform as ordered. He stood at the back row of seats set for guest and looked at Maria, who wore a blue one-piece dress under her labjacket. Their eyes met before the fox bent his head forward, kissing Maria's forehead.

"I'll be back to take you aboard." Miles said.

"Go meet your crew." Maria replied softly, pecking his cheek. "Smile for the cameras, especially mine, dear."

"I will." He took her hands and squeezed them. Then he stepped away, going down the aisle, politely taking hands with others that greeted him as he made his way to the other officers. A light blue furred female hedgehog turned to face him, he noticed she had the rank of lieutenant as he did, but he saluted before they shook hands.

"Lieutenant Miles Prower, Information Warfare." he introduced.

"Lieutenant Molly Thompson, operations officer." The hedgehog replied. "Just call me MJ." She ran her eyes up and down. "Glad to have you with us Lieutenant." The fox smiled and then looked back at Maria.

"Lieutenant?" A familiar voice was heard nearby. His ears twitched as he turned to face Janus Rotarl, her own dress uniform devoid of decoration but she now had a sub-lieutenant's striping on her cuffs and on her shoulderboards.

"Sub-Lieutenant Rotarl." His ears fully raised. "You got the _Warspite_?"

"Assistant Weapons Officer." The mouse smiled. "As well as one of our pilots for the Swordfish spotters."

"Very nice. You passed through rather quickly, it took me a few more years to finish my technical training." Prower said.

"Quick study, Lieutenant." Rotarl looked over at the completed battleship. "Four turrets, two guns per turret. Two situated in the fore, two aft. High turret on each is 15-inch railgun, low turret laser, 6000 terawatts at maximum."

"Quite the punch." Miles commented, nodding. "Seen the captain?"

"He's speaking to dignitaries, your father's here as well." Rotarl advised.

"As I would expect." The fox stiffened. It would likely be best to see him now and get that out of the way. He stepped away and raised his head, actively looking for the older vulpine, knowing his uniform well. It hadn't changed since he had last seen him. Then he heard the trill a bosun's pipes throughout the yard. Recognizing the meaning, Miles began to assemble back with the rest of the officer complement. They remained standing while the audience sat down.

A brown-furred Keplerian squirrel with grey tined auburn hair atop of his head approached the podium. He could see his father standing behind him and recognized the squirrel as the Keplerian Republic president, Maximilian Acorn. Miles usually voted along the lines of Social Democrats in both the Keplerian Republic and the United Kingdom, at least on the issues but Maximilian was the type of president who would work with the majority party no matter who they were. He was no king, not a King Frederick by any means, but in the mold of a Franklin Roosevelt, returned to office due to his acumen time after time.

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you all for coming." Maximilian said, his voice amplified by speakers throughout the yard. Two human men in Royal Navy uniforms stood beside Amadeus. One looked to be ranked to an admiral, the other a lower rank, perhaps a commander or a captain. "It's been twenty-seven years since the establishment of our republic and eleven years since the creation of our space navy. When we cast off the yoke of the House of Acorn, we knew very little about our part of the galaxy except for the scribblings of royal astronomers. It held little meaning to us, whether we went around a star or if the star went around us. But our galactic neighbors, humans, changed both our insight but also our perspective. We were no longer alone and though they look radically different from us, they knew what we were going through. They went through the same trials, some ending in error and some in triumph. We now stand together, hand in hand, relying on each other to invigorate business, culture and technology."

Miles could see his father's ears raise as he noticed his presence. Their eyes met, and he gave a small nod, getting one in return.

"We also venture forth, exploring the remainder of the Kepler-22 system and beyond. In the process, we have come across remnants of our old government as well as opportunists that both prey upon the innocent. We were caught by surprise at first but then realized that we had an inherent responsibility not just due to territorial claims and treaties but because of sacred principles to defend our collective interests. Not just Keplerian, but of all that travel through our system in peace. On October 25, 2101, we took the first steps towards taking care of those responsibilities with the establishment of the KRSN. We owe a great deal of thanks towards the United Kingdom and especially the Royal Navy and Royal Space Navy respectively for making that possible. The service was initially made of old cruisers and destroyers that were otherwise going to scrap. Our crews, both officer and rating alike had to be trained by the British and still are, until construction of the Space Naval College is complete. We also had never made use of a ship larger than a cruiser." Maximilian continued, turning to look towards the _Warspite_ , gesturing to her.

"But that changes today. Our first battleship of the _Dreadnought_ -class is completed. She has been named _Warspite_ , in recognition of the contributions of the British and the storied reputation of the ships that shared the name. Aside from being our first battleship, there is one final first for me to announce." He turned towards the people standing behind him, gesturing to a human to step up. Miles could swear that he was wearing a KRSN uniform. The man had short black hair and a pale-olive complexion, rectangular rimmed glasses perched on his nose.

"The _Warspite_ 's first captain will be our first human officer to complete our command exchange program. It is my pleasure to introduce you all to Captain Carlos Concha formerly of the Royal Australian Space Navy." Maximilian announced. Applause started from the seated audience and it traveled in a wave to the officers and ratings. Maximilian stepped back, and they watched as Rear Admiral Seetan stepped up to the podium with Concha. The two faced each and exchange salutes as the wolf removed a folded sheet of paper from his pocket.

"To Captain Carlos Concha, attached to Britannia Royal Naval College. You are hereby ordered to report to Rear Admiral Crow Seetan, Commander-in-Chief, Home Fleet and to take command of the battleship KRSS _Warspite_ , pennant number 01." Seetan said, holding the order sheet out to the human. Concha nodded and took it, saluting the wolf again before Seetan stepped back, allowing him to turn towards the podium.

"Hello everyone, thank you for coming." Concha said, placing his hands on the sides of the podium. "I'm truly excited and appreciative of the opportunity of serving in the Keplerian Republic Space Navy in command of her first battleship. In a sense, I think this has been in the making for some time. I was named for my grandfather, rest his soul and he was the reason why I pursued naval service. Incidentally, he was an enthusiast in naval history and especially regarding HMS _Warspite_ , the super-dreadnought. He visited Marazion to see the museum dedicated to her first in 2017 and there had been several trips since. I was thirteen when he took me there for _Warspite 150_. Unfortunately, he's no longer with us but his collection will be moved into the wardroom. I hope our service aboard this new _Warspite_ is worthy to the name. I will begin the task of her fitting out by greeting the crew." Concha stepped away from the podium and then down. He first started with the ratings, moving through each section and shaking hands with each rating with a few words of introduction exchanged between them.

When he came to the officers, he started with the lowest in seniority. Prower could hear the nervousness in Rotarl's voice as she was first.

"Sub-Lieutenant Janus Rotarl, Assistant Weapons Officer and Swordfish pilot." The mouse piped up.

"Everyone starts somewhere, Sub-Lieutenant. I saw your marks and I won't be surprised if you make lieutenant soon." Concha said. The fox stood there and slightly tuned out until Concha made it to the bridge level officers, starting with Prower.

"Lieutenant Miles Prower, Information Warfare Officer." Miles said, rendering the human a salute before offering his hand.

"That would explain the stare I've been getting from the field marshal." Concha laughed softly. "You've already got some boarding and engineering expertise as well if I recall."

"Indeed, I do Captain. I am of course at the ship's disposal." Prower replied.

"I have every confidence in you, Mr. Prower and I've promised your father that I'd return you in one piece." Concha said.

"Respectfully sir, this assignment is a plum for me. You might make admiral before I step off from her bridge." The fox countered.

"My word, I have a lifer for an IWO." Concha laughed quietly. "Very good, Mr. Prower." He stepped off to greet Lieutenant Fields who was transferred to _Campbeltown_ as communications officer, then Lieutenant Thompson. To his surprise, he heard Commander Rose and did a double-take, turning his head to the right. Sure enough, the hedgehog was now Engineering Officer for the battleship. The ship's surgeon was a human, Lieutenant Commander Julian Kiley. The navigator was a wolf named Whisper, one of those few that gave no family name. Weapons was Lieutenant Commander Scott Percival, a lavender furred cat and finally there was the executive officer, Concha's second in command. Another _Campbeltown_ transfer! Lieutenant Commander William Bolton was standing at the end of the line. He wondered how much of a flap it was going to be for Rose to be taking orders from the cat, who was a rank below her.

"Right then." Concha said as he returned to the podium. "Engineering section, step forward." Commander Rose stepped up before the podium as her ratings and assistant engineering officer formed around her.

"Engineering section reporting as ordered, sir." Rose announced.

"Take your section aboard and start the reactor." Concha said. The two exchanged salutes.

"Start the reactor, aye aye, sir!" The hedgehog turned to face the section. "Engineering section! Take your stations and bring the reactor online."

"Aye, aye!" The assistant engineering officer replied, as the entire section started to step towards the gangways, filing into the ship and withdrawing portable work lights. Everyone turned to face the battleship, waiting. After a few minutes, they could hear a low hum as exterior lighting started to come online. Everyone began to clap as Commander Rose's voice could be heard on the speakers. "The reactor is online. _Warspite_ is now disconnected from station power."

"Very good." Concha extended his right hand out towards the ship. "The ship is open for viewing. There is refreshment set out in the wardroom and the crew messes. Ship's company is officially dismissed."

The assembled crew started to break apart, some going to board immediately, some joining the audience and some leaving entirely. Miles left towards the audience and found Maria. She took note of how his tails were wagging about and pressed a finger to his nose.

"What?" The fox raised his ears as he noticed the teasing smile on her face.

"I don't suppose your quarters are going to be closed." Maria said quietly.

"For one, I don't know where my quarters are at the moment and for another, I'm not going to run the chance of getting caught-" He looked around and lowered his voice. "doing _that_ with my girlfriend, especially with people touring."

"Oh fine." Maria adopted a pout. "I suppose some cake and punch sounds all right. But once we're finished on the ship, you're _mine_."

"For the love of Nelson." Miles rolled his eyes theatrically. "It's the uniform, isn't it?"

"Excuse me Lieutenant, but you get the same way when I have my clinic dress on." Maria pressed in harder on his nose. The fox poked her in the stomach with his index finger, causing a soft squeal of protest.

"Behave yourself, darling." He chuckled and leaned in, kissing her on the mouth, catching her by surprise.


	16. Chapter 15: Defection

**Chapter 15**

 **Day 319, 3232** **(Monday, November 15, 3232)**

 **Mount Freedom – G.U.N Headquarters**

 **United Federation, Mobius**

"Done for the day, then?" Snively asked. Ovi blinked and ran his access card through the slot for one of the timecard stations. He looked down at the card and fidgeted with it. The man was starting to differ from the color photo on its left, filling out thanks to both the break schedule he was forced to follow as well as regular invitations to Snively's for breakfast and dinner. It was certainly a stark contrast to having the power to work at his own pace as a chief innovation officer of his own startup.

"Indeed." Robotnik answered, the two exchanging nods. He squinted, having to trade his glasses for a set of transition lenses due to the harsh lighting inside of the research wings. He shouldered his satchel which contained his tablet. Little did anyone know, Snively had helped him access protected information, information that the two were of the opinion should not have been both on principle as well as public interest. Especially when the people of subject in the files had their names and reputations drug through the mud. For all the security posturing here, the chink in the armor here at G.U.N was data and the reliance on Ovi to provide or retrofit 22nd century technology for their purposes.

At first, he stayed on the straight and narrow, at least until Snively had dropped hints about G.U.N having some skeletons in its closet. That had also reminded Ovi of how Commander Brass had reacted when they first met. Snively alluded to seeing files but Ovi could not get to them, despite the two allegedly having the same set of access privileges. Either Snively's privileges extended further due to his seniority or perhaps he managed to batter his way into the files that Robotnik's tablet now carried. In any event, Ovi was impressed with the way that Snively managed to get the data, presumedly without detection.

Commander Brass had been right to not trust Robotnik but from outwards appearance, he was doing nothing. The man would meekly submit to 'random' security screenings which extended to his equipment. But the intelligence and internal security personnel would draw blanks. Brass would ruminate over the possibilities, with the help of some high proof whiskey. But of course, once the President and his cabinet heard of the technology that Ovi knew of, he was their darling. In the next few days, Robotnik would be finishing fabrication on a CQB assault drone. Brass didn't like it, he knew something was off, the same overhanging dread one felt before an ambush.

Once the two men had arrived at Snively's apartment in the city, Robotnik swept the room for bugs. As an added precaution he also unplugged Snively's telephones by both power and data cables as well as his wireless access point. This was something they did time and again as a security precaution. With blinds drawn, the two huddled while Ovi brought his tablet back online. Putting it on airplane mode, he called up the files that Snively had smuggled out for him.

"Day 319 of the year 3194." Robotnik read out loud as a preface. The two would silently read on regarding the file. This contained a report on a G.U.N raid of Space _Colony_ ARK and ultimately the final fate of his grandfather in this timeline, Professor Gerald Robotnik. Allegedly the professor had been working on unethical experiments involving genetic engineering. One such project created what the file referred to as a monstrosity, while the other was more tamely dubbed Project Shadow. Apparently, Gerald's work had become so dangerous, the government had decided to hit the colony with a G.U.N assault. Gerald was taken into custody, but Project Shadow was presumed missing or destroyed. There were casualties as well, Ovi was expecting there to be some, at least on G.U.N's side of the engagement.

Instead he saw a list that largely comprised of civilians. Then his gaze held on one name among the dead; Maria Robotnik. Curious now, Ovi reached out with a trembling index finger to bring her file up. Born Day 170 of the year 3182, died on Day 319 of the year 3194. Terminally ill, supposedly the focal point of Gerald's work. Snively blinked as Ovi turned away with the tablet, scrolling down. Then he froze on a photo of the young girl, she looked the same as he remembered her at 12 in his history, only with an ugly red stain in her abdomen.

"I don't believe it, I didn't think that of all things that G.U.N killed civilians." Ovi said, lowering the tablet. "I compromised on my stance against defense work to take your offer. I had told myself for some time that I would not do defense contracts, here I thought at least my developments would be used against other machines or uniformed men. I'm not going to let the likes of Brass use my creations to bring about the next culling."

"So, you're going to quit?" Snively asked with a frantic rise in his voice.

"Not immediately, but we're going to clean up and gather all the prototypes that I have. We're going to crash their data stores and get away from here." Ovi replied.

"Crash the data stores and escape the military? Are you out of your mind? Where would we end up going?!" Snively protested.

"To the right side, Julian. We're going to defect to the Acornians. The Overlanders are using Federation weapons. They're just as bad in my eyes." Robotnik declared.

 **Day 321 (Wednesday, November 17, 3232)**

The prototype stood tall with its humanoid shaped gray and white armored body gleaming, the light reflecting off its finish. Commander Brass stared at Ovi while he made the final diagnostic checks over the robot. Robotnik met his gaze for a moment before lowering his tablet, stepping back to stand beside Snively. The two men nodded to each other before shaking hands.

"Job well done, Doctor." Robotnik said.

"The same to you, my friend." Snively replied.

"Is it ready then?" Brass grumbled.

"Indeed, it is. Shall I start it up?" Robotnik asked.

"Let's get it over with. As soon as it passes evaluation, I want mass production ready." Brass said.

"Right. We have a fight to win, after all." Ovi said nonchalantly, beginning the activation sequence. The robot's visual sensor started to glow red as it came online. Then it started to turn its body slowly in a circle. Ovi put his tablet into his labjacket's pocket and placed his hands behind his back.

"This is a test of CQB Drone Prototype 01." Ovi said aloud. At the same time, activation sequences for the virus that he installed on Tuesday began to take effect. The very security systems for the network that he upgraded kept quiet. It didn't register as malware even as other watchdog systems began to complain as the infection began to spread.

"Acknowledged, Doctor." The robot said out loud in a deep, male voice. "Test mission profile loaded and ready."

"What would you like to see first, Commander?" Ovi asked, moving closer to Brass now.

"Well, does it shoot?" Brass asked, narrowing his eyes.

"May I have a weapon, then?" Robotnik asked. Brass turned and held his hand out towards a trooper, who relinquished their carbine to the larger man. Brass looked it over carefully, then held it out to Ovi. "Don't drop it."

"I don't plan to." Ovi said with a little bit of coldness. He took the gun and walked towards the robot, holding the rifle out to it. It took the gun and then started to march towards the makeshift firing range. Everyone began to put on earplugs and goggles, save for Ovi, who figured he would be protected by his glasses.

"You may begin." Robotnik said to the drone. The robot shouldered the weapon and fired in single-shot mode at the farthest target, striking it dead center, before moving up to its head. Then it changed firing modes, focusing on the other standing targets, firing on acquisition. Moving targets started to slide from left to right as well as up and down, all being shot up with precision. The robot took a step back, pointing the barrel up at the ceiling.

Everyone removed their earplugs and Brass stepped up to the firing line, staring at the demolished targets, then at the robot.

"Not bad." The man said grudgingly.

"It is also capable of acting as a pilot." Robotnik said while the robot handed the weapon to Brass.

"One of the transports then." Brass said, motioning for everyone to follow. The drone started to move in formation with them, out of the testing lab. The lighting began to flicker, causing him to freeze for a moment. He looked back at Ovi and Snively, narrowing his eyes again in suspicion.

"I took the initiative of speaking with flight operations to have one set up." Ovi said, as the group moved towards the outside where the landing pads were. "A full albeit dummy load of equipment, crates weighted like a regular load." Once they were in front of the tiltrotors, he started to lead the drone towards one of them. It opened the door to the pilot's cabin and settled in. Then Ovi and Snively also began to board.

"Now just wait a damn minute. You're not going up in that thing!" Brass started towards the craft as the rotors began to spin. He reached for the pilot's door and wrenched it open. The robot turned its head to look at him. "Stand down, immediately!" The commander ordered.

"Commander!" Lieutenant Colonel Abraham Tower called out. "Something's wrong with our computer systems. There's been a complete failure across the board."

"What? Why didn't you call it in?" Brass roared, distracted by the news.

"Communications systems are down." Tower answered, unholstering his gun as he saw the robot reaching to close the door. Brass turned and looked back at the drone, grabbing for its arm. The robot leaned in and slammed the door hard, causing Brass to howl in pain, trapped as his wrist broke. The tiltrotor started to raise up into the air while Tower lowered his gun, growling.

"Get a flight team out here and get the others started up!" Tower yelled. "I want MANPADs ready on that damn thing."

Ovi watched the commotion unfold down on the ground, then leaned out to look at Brass, who fumbled for his own handgun.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Commander. It would be unfortunate for there to be another malfunction." Robotnik said, adjusting his glasses. "We will let you go once we have reached our destination."

"I should have never let you join the organization." Brass yelled over the roar. "I should have put you in a cell or killed you."

Ovi froze, lowering his glasses slightly as his face grew hot, cheeks reddening.

"You mean like how your organization killed many innocent people? A little girl among them?" he yelled back. "You deserve far worse than this, but in fact-" He looked over at the robot. "I think I might grant you a small token of mercy. Let him go."

"What?!" Brass sputtered, reaching back down for his pistol. He kicked his legs up, trying to make the task easier, but suddenly felt himself falling away from the craft as the door was opened. He howled up at the escaping craft, silenced only when his body hit the ground. Snively looked over the side, then away, getting down on his knees as he crawled to the other end, violently retching. As he looked back, he noticed that Ovi was still staring down, a small smile forming on his face.

 **Kingdom of Acorn**

 **Eastern Frontier**

Colonel Amadeus Prower grunted as he heard the radio burble. Turning his head towards the unit, he reached out and adjusted a control knob. The sound of static became a warble and then for a moment, he thought he could hear a voice. The fox's ears twitched as he fiddled with the knob, much more slowly. There was the sound of a loud engine that dominated most of the transmission but then a voice could finally be heard.

"This is Dr. Ovi Robotnik, calling down to any forces of the Kingdom of Acorn that might be listening." A male voice, human no doubt. He looked around inside of the empty command tent, blinking before picking up the microphone attached to the radio set, pressing down on the transmit button.

"This is Colonel Amadeus Prower of the Royal Army. What is your position?" His ears twitched again as he wondered whether this might have been a trick. What if the Overlanders were using radio-location equipment? What if this was some sort of ruse? Some sort of attempt to knock him and his command element out. After all, the Conductor of the Battlefield as he was known, was a thorn in the side of the Overlanders while making a great defensive effort against their offensive attempts.

"I think-" Robotnik seemed to be speaking to someone else. Amadeus could hear what sounded like a robot speaking but the voice was drowned out by the engine sounds. "I think we're coming close to your position, Colonel. I desperately need asylum. We're being pursued by another craft. My colleague and I were designing weapons for the United Federation that were to be used by the Overlanders against you. Can you help me in any way, Colonel?"

"We might," Amadeus took note of the way the man's tone changed to that of relief. "Assuming your intentions are in earnest."

"They most certainly are! I'm happy to know there is at least another Amadeus Prower out there. I wonder, do you have a son?" Robotnik asked.

"Me, a son? I do." Prower replied.

"Is his name Miles?" Robotnik asked, causing Amadeus to lower the mic. What in blazes, how would a human know that?

"Yes, that's his name. Would you mind explaining how you know that?" Amadeus growled softly.

Suddenly Amadeus could hear a loud explosion outside. He then could see the outside of the tent illuminate as searchlights came alive, pointing upwards as the air raid sirens started to screech. He could hear men rushing out from their tents, shouting as they started to get to their gun positions.

"Was that you?" Prower asked.

"Indeed, it is, our pursuers launched a missile at us, but we managed to evade it. I'd be in a better position to introduce myself on the ground, and I would greatly appreciate your help!" Robotnik said frantically.

"Can you possibly drop a flare?" Amadeus asked. "We can identify you from that."

"I'll see about it. Launch a flare 01." Robotnik could be heard saying. Amadeus switched to the local radio net.

"This is Colonel Prower, there is a friendly, repeat, friendly aircraft under attack that is going to drop a flare. Target any aircraft that is pursuing it and either bring it down or at least deter it." The fox said. Then he switched back to the position he had the radio at. "Hang tight, Doctor. I have to go outside." He made note of the frequency and stormed out of the tent, looking around. The fox then strode towards another Acornian which was carrying a backpack radio. "You there! I need your radio."

"Yes Colonel!" The squirrel came to a stop, holding the handset out to the fox. He took it in hand and adjusted the frequency on the backpack radio, looking up, watching the two tilt-rotors, the vapor and smoke trail from the flare coming from the lead craft. Then he looked around. "There should be open ground for you to land on." He then plugged an ear as the gun positions started to open on the second aircraft.

On their tiltrotor, Ovi and Snively looked down as their drone started to adjust the flight path. They could hear another missile coming from the pursuing craft, this time many flares coming out from the back of their craft as it banked to evade. Then came a loud clatter as bullets ripped through the fuselage, narrowly missing the men, but hitting the robot. It began to slump forward, smoke coming from its body, though it continued to guide the craft.

This time, two missiles came up from the ground as fire converged near the pursuing G.U.N craft. On board, Abraham Tower growled and buckled his safety belt, watching his target starting to go down, smoke coming from the rear. He leaned forward, brows knit.

"Are we out of missiles?" he bellowed.

"Yes, we are, sir. I'd recommend that we get out of here. This fire's getting rather heavy." The pilot called out.

"Damn it! Take us back then. If we're lucky, then they'll wreck." Tower fumed. "Maybe the Acornians will do us a favor and kill them for us." He looked out and could see the familiar profile of Amadeus Prower, staring up at them as their craft turned. Tower shut his eyes as the searchlights bloomed. He reached out and made a defiant one-fingered gesture. The fox recognized the gesture and returned it, then hung up the radio handset before starting to stride in the direction of the falling tiltrotor that had Robotnik.

The aircraft was going in nose down, its engines starting to point upwards spasmodically. As it lowered down, it hit the ground and started to skid forward until it slammed into a set of trees, crumping the nose and further pinning the robot to the pilot's seat. But a shaken Ovi and Snively seemed to come through without any difficulty. Once Prower arrived with a fireteam, Ovi looked up at him and crawled out from the craft before rising to his feet.

"I never thought our paths would cross again like this. Of all the odds! Thank you, Field Marshal!" The man babbled.

"Colonel." Prower corrected, staring at him, then at the crates. "What's with these supply crates?"

"Supplies we stole from G.U.N to bring to the Kingdom. It's a pity about my prototype but with the right materials and a factory, I can build more. It's part of why I came here, Colonel. How would you like to win your defensive war?" Robotnik offered.

"I'd say I would, but I'd also want to know what the pricetag is, and more about the man I'm bartering with." The fox said.

"You might think it to be extraordinary, but it's true." Robotnik said. He hopped back onto the craft, opening a crate, rummaging around in it. Then he brought up a large burlap sack, climbing back down with it in hand. Amadeus could smell coffee grounds, and none like the weak stuff they had that passed for them. "But I would be a poor host if I didn't at least bring a drink to storytime. You have a coffee maker in your canteen, yes?"

"Well yes, as long as there's enough for my men." Amadeus said.

"More than enough. And if I overestimate myself, there's more sacks. Come, let us drink and be friendly!" Robotnik declared. Amadeus nodded and gestured for the fireteam to follow, Snively rushing to catch up.


	17. Chapter 16: Infection

**Chapter 16**

 **Thursday, May 23, 2115**

 **Outer System Patrol – Kepler-22**

 **KRSS** _ **Warspite**_ **(01)**

 _Warspite_ was set to be the hammer that would strike the definitive blow of the remnants Kingdom of Acorn. It was possible that they would be dealing directly with either a 71-year old King Frederick or perhaps a new heir. This time instead of Acornian-piloted ships, there was a strange new turn in their slave and cargo transportation with automated craft. While there was a very small skeleton crew compared to what was on the likes of the _Destructrix_ , at least of living people, there had been reports of armed robots. At first the boarding parties of cruisers and destroyers would have some trouble and losses, and in some cases the _Warspite_ had to assist.

Over the last two years, Lieutenant Prower had again led some of the relief parties from the _Warspite_. But he largely worked alongside Captain Concha, Lieutenant Commander Bolton and Lieutenant Thompson as well as remote consultations with others throughout the fleet, to try to determine the focal point where this traffic was coming from. At one point, they had gotten crafty though the fox didn't like the idea of allowing slave cargo to proceed to its destination, though there was an assurance that they would strike once they found home base. He had carefully intruded upon the systems three of the cargo ships and worked out their courses from their navigation systems. The _Warspite_ would take a small task force of destroyers and cruisers with it to one of them, while the _Belfast_ and _Caledon_ had their own task forces, with little _Campbeltown_ joining the _Warspite_ group.

As expected the two craft being followed by the _Belfast_ and _Caledon_ groups were decoying away. It seemed that there was a routine in motion for transports to bounce around to stop acquisition of their home base. But the two cruisers with their support groups maintained their patience and stations, waiting for their targets to move on to the next point. _Warspite_ however seemed to be on to something, the large battleship being fed information by datalink from the _Campbeltown_ as it stayed ahead. The destroyer came to a stop as Commander Zincks appeared on one of the monitors directly in front of Captain Concha.

"I think we've got something here, Captain." The tanuki said, adjusting her cap. "There's a large asteroid out here that's giving out a large amount of ESM echoes. That ship that we were shadowing went into it. It's certainly large enough to fit a few of those there."

"Let's go ahead and tie the noose then, shall we?" Concha said, leaning back into his seat. "Helm take us forward. _Campbeltown_ , I suggest that you get your guns and torpedoes warmed up."

"We'll be making our approach. Recommend we try a system intrusion from both ships once we've gotten in range." Zincks said.

"Captain? Permission to cut in?" Tails said, looking up from his terminal.

"Of course, Mr. Prower." The human said.

"I'm still in the transport that we hobbled, I could use that as a relay." The fox suggested.

"A good point, Lieutenant. Make it so, then." Concha said with a nod.

"He's certainly come forward a good deal." Zincks said. "We'll be maintaining our station then, _Campbeltown_ out." The monitor went back to its normal display pattern.

"Right, piggybacking on its internal communications traffic. This is some sort of major hub since there's traffic for other transports, as well as long range telemetry of craft not present here. The two we also tagged show up in here as well." The fox was surfing through the station's network with ease so far. "I think this is it." He started to check for any signs of defensive emplacements. "Some gun batteries and missile pods, no lasers. Doesn't seem like anything here is manually operated. Blacking them out now." He wrestled with their control systems and found the security ridiculously easy to cut through, but also trashed the weapons control system with a few pieces from his malware library for good measure.

"So, the day has finally come for the king to be taken off from the board." Concha stood up and took the overhanging public-address handset and put it to his ear. "This is Captain Concha, we are going to be boarding the enemy station. Our two objectives are as followed: First, we secure the station. Second, we take the House of Acorn into custody. I understand that tensions may be running high for those of you that might still remember what rule was like under them, or perhaps you have heard stories from your parents and grandparents. The idea of an eye for an eye may sound appealing, but I must remind you that we are a navy. We enforce laws, we save lives and only take them when necessary. I will not have any man or woman aboard carry out extrajudicial execution. Let the guilty be brought to the trial and the sentence they deserve. That is all."

Concha hung up the handset and looked around the bridge. "Bolton stays here in command, I am going ashore with Lieutenant Prower and the first boarding party."

By now, Miles was not surprised that he was tapped for another boarding party. Though he tilted his head as he turned in his seat. "Are you certain its wise for you to go ashore, Captain?"

"This may be a raid, but I'll be damned if I let you juniors have all the fun." The human smiled and adjusted his glasses. "Besides, I want to see the look on King Frederick's face as I read the arrest order to him."

"So long as we don't have to carry you back in a box, sir." The fox rose up to his feet and bowed his head. "Shall I lead you to the armory?"

"Of course, Lieutenant." Concha gestured with his left hand as the vulpine started to lead the way.

 **Presumed Acornian Base**

 **Outer Rim of Kepler-22 System**

This time rather than using an umbilical to board, smaller transport craft from the _Warspite_ started to make their way to the launch bay that they saw the transports enter. The large outer doors opened outwards on their approach thanks to Prower's continued control over the station. He batted his tails around nervously as the transports locked into place. Where and when did the Acornians end up getting the same shield technology used on the ARK for their launch bay? Once their transports came to a stop, the outer doors on the sides opened as the shore party stepped out, their breathing being heard as audible hisses through their mask respirators.

"Anyone have the impression that it's a bit too quiet?" Another crew member piped up.

"I would have expected some small arms fire." Miles said, looking around. "Or at least guards to repel us. There's not even any disembarkation from the other transports."

"Damned strange," Concha said. "Let's check the one you tagged then." The shore party started to march forward, continuing to scrutinize with weapons in hand. Miles put his tablet on touch projection mode so that its display would appear in front of him. He drew his Webley with his right hand and kept it held down low at a safe position while they assembled around the transport in question. Using the touch display, he had the door open. The craft interior was dark, causing the party to turn on their headlamps. Miles boarded first, holding his gun out. His footsteps echoed as he moved through the transport, its deck plan like the _Destructrix_. Stopping, he started to bring the lights on and sighed in relief as they came on.

The others in the shore party started to follow and fan out. Miles stepped towards the bridge and blinked, glancing around as he heard Concha grunt behind him.

"What's wrong with this picture, Lieutenant?" The captain asked.

"I think this transport's empty." The fox turned to face him before striding forward, moving to leave on instinct. He marched out and walked over to another transport, attempting to intrude into its systems. This time there was no response. The vulpine blinked and holstered his gun, clenching on the manual release lock. The exoskeleton that he wore clicked and whirred as it assisted him in pulling the lock up and rotating it before pulling the door open manually. He tried another intrusion but got nothing, staring at the dimly lit interior before bringing his gun back up again. Slowly, the fox stepped further in and turned his body to the left at a T junction. Then as he turned to the right, he saw a red and black coloured robot rising to full height, its eyes glowing as it fired its weapon.

The fox shrank back and fired at the robot with his Webley but heard it advancing in his direction. He backpedaled slowly, waiting for it to come into view before squaring it up in his sights, his breathing echoing inside of his helmet as he squeezed the trigger five more times before colliding with someone behind him. Tilting his head back, he could see another crew member as they knelt and pulled him to his feet.

"Looks like you got him, Lieutenant." The yellow flying squirrel said quietly while Miles shivered for a moment, adrenaline running through his veins. He opened the cylinder on his revolver and emptied out the spent casings, filling it with a speedloader's worth of six, pushing the cylinder closed with his hand.

"Something's not right about this place," The fox said quietly. He had an idea now, holstering his gun as the squirrel and another crew member stood outside with guns pointed at the interior. Searching through the network, he found some security cameras and started to flip through the feeds. Then he paused on what looked like a throne room, the Kingdom's old flag behind the large chair. No one was there. In fact, there was nothing but a few robots here.

"Shit. Captain!" Miles called out. Concha moved forward towards him.

"What is it Lieutenant?" The captain asked.

"This place is a bloody ghost town is what it is. There's nothing here. Everything's picked clean, but this was the right place. Either someone tipped them off to our raid or-"

"Or they had a plan in action." Concha concluded. "Right." He patched himself in to all the shore party's radios. "Everyone back on our transports, we're going back to the _Warspite_ and then we're going to head back home."

 **Friday, May 24, 2115**

 **Space Station ARK**

As more transports had arrived with liberated people that were being sent off to labor for the Kingdom of Acorn, the mass of people started to overwhelm the medical departments of the ships that were guiding the transports back. As a result, a new plan had been made to handle critical cases as a priority but to have the others assessed on the ARK. Dr. Maria Robotnik looked down at her tablet, then up at the people that were assembled before her. She ran her eyes through the crowd, looking for telltale signs to help determine who would be the most important. Triage was the name of the game here.

Though not a trained medical professional, Lieutenant Janus Rotarl knew what they were going through. She stood beside Maria and looked to the human as Robotnik was making her decision. Finally, she tilted her head towards the mouse and lowered her tablet.

"See that boy there? Keplerian avian of some kind, green. Named as Jolt." Maria said.

"Got it." Rotarl started to move forward through the refugees and knelt beside the avian, holding out her hand. "Would you mind coming with me? The doctor would like to see you." The avian raised his head slowly and nodded, offering the mouse his wing as they slowly moved forward. Maria held her own hand out, taking up the other wing carefully as they led Jolt into an open examination bay. Rotarl lifted the bird to sit up on the bed while Maria leaned forward, looking him over before placing a hand on his head.

"I thought so, fever and lethargy. Sounds like there's an infection in there. Can you tell me how long you've been sick for?" Maria asked while picking up a wireless thermometer and holding it close.

"All the time," Jolt said quietly, with a bit of hoarseness.

"We'll see what we're dealing with then. If you could just hold your mouth open for me, please." Maria said. The avian obeyed, opening his beak so that she could run the thermometer in, pressing it under his tongue. After a few moments, there was a small beep. Maria removed the probe and ejected the tip into a biohazard container, looking down at the new reading. 102 degrees Fahrenheit, a fever and not a false reading on her part. She reached for a blood pressure cuff and closed it over the avian's upper wing, activating it. Maria gazed back down to her tablet, an elevated blood pressure.

"We'll need some blood," Maria said quietly, making a request on her tablet for a phlebotomist. Then she reached out and placed a hand on the avian's shoulder. "Is it all right if I take a look at you?" Jolt nodded.

Maria started to unbutton the avian's tunic now, feeling around on his chest. Perplexed, she thought she felt some scar tissue. She felt around further up and noticed more by the neck and then the back of his head. Blinking, Maria looked over at Rotarl in confusion, stepping back.

"Does that feel like scarring to you?" she asked the mouse. Rotarl leaned in and ran her hand along the same places that Maria was feeling, then nodded.

"It certainly does, what the Hell were they doing to this kid?" Rotarl asked rhetorically.

"I don't know," Maria replied, as the door opened behind her.

"Dr. Robotnik?" Another human, wearing powder blue scrubs said, holding a testing kit. "You requested blood draws?"

"That's right." Maria took a step back while Jolt looked back at her now, seeming to be focused on her name badge.

"Robotnik," The bird said very slowly. Then he started to curl inwards, chittering loudly, drawing his wings in over his body. Maria stepped forward to take one of his wings, thinking that a fear of needles was what was coming over him. "It'll be all right, we just need a little bit of blood."

Suddenly the avian shoved into her with strength that was surprising for one so enfeebled by his illness, knocking her back. Rotarl now started to come forward, helping Maria up to her feet at Jolt squawked at them, flapping his wings wildly before hopping off from the bed, pulling drawers out from the consoles. Then he waddled forward to pick up the rolling stool, holding it over his head and throwing it towards them. Maria ducked down as it crashed against the wall where her head was. Maria now hit the red security button on her tablet and began to double back with Rotarl in front of her. Suddenly she found herself bumping into someone and turned her head.

"S-sorry about that." Robotnik said apologetically. Then she realized that they were surrounded by other patients. Something was off with the way they stood and the way their eyes looked. She reached out and grabbed Rotarl by the shoulder to turn the mouse around. The mouse uttered a surprised growl and unholstered her sidearm, pointing it at them.

"Get back!" Rotarl yelled, holding onto Maria's shoulder as they continued to advance. Then she turned, finding other patients closing on them. At the same time, Maria was wondering where security was. Then a loud audible alarm started with the room lighting turning red. The mouse's ears twitched as she thought she heard gunshots. Some of the patients had started to grab weapons from the ground. IV poles, scalpels, drawers and other blunt instruments. The mouse held the gun steady on the nearest one. "I said get back!" Then she pointed the barrel up at the ceiling and fired once, the report loud in such tight quarters, deafening the two for a few moments. Then the mouse holstered the weapon and picked up her own IV stand, shaking the bag off, snapping off the wheeled portion, swinging it before her, using it to knock them back.

Maria reached for the door to the secure nurse's station, slotting her card into it. She heard the telltale click and opened the door, pulling on the mouse's shoulder so that Rotarl would follow. Once the mouse was through, she shut the door, noticing that the patients, whatever they were at this point, moving towards the clear but hardened plastiglass at the front. Maria reached for a phone and tried to dial out, getting static. Then she looked down at her tablet, a new idea in mind as she tried to open a video call with her grandfather. Suddenly her tablet's screen went completely red and then shut down. Rotarl took her own tablet out, noticing it was still active since it was connected to a secure KRSN network. She hastily brought up the video call system, hitting the icon for Prower.

 **KRSS** _ **Warspite**_

Since the incident at the asteroid base, the _Warspite_ was on its way back to the ARK. The Warp Gate was looming ahead but surprisingly enough, his tablet was vibrating at his hip. He detached it from its case and saw that an incoming call was coming from Rotarl. The fox looked back at Concha and bowed his head.

"Ah Captain, I have a call coming through from Lieutenant Rotarl on the ARK." He looked confused.

"Go ahead and take it." The human said. He opened the call and saw both Maria and Rotarl staring at him.

"There's something very crazy going on here at the ARK. We're locked down in the hospital section." Rotarl explained. "The patients we've picked up off the transports are going nuts, taking up arms."

"Well station security's handling it, aren't they?" Miles asked, ears raising.

"Maria hit the panic button, but no one's come, it's long past the normal response time." The mouse explained. "I'm about to call out to see if we can get some marines, but I was also curious as to how things looked on the outside."

"Well we're on our way back to the ARK," The fox said. Then he blinked. "Hold on for a moment." He raised his index finger, turning his seat. "Captain? There seems to be an incident on the ARK. Has there been any trouble reported with any of those transports that we've been pulling in?"

"Not that I'm aware of, but now that you say that, I'm curious. Communications, when was the last time we heard from _Caledon_ and _Belfast_? They should have reported their arrival by now since they were ahead of us." Concha inquired.

"Their trackers are showing them at the ARK, I'll see if I can raise them." Lieutenant Fields said, turned back to her console, activating a voice connection. "KRSS _Belfast_ , KRSS _Caledon_ , this is KRSS _Warspite_ , we're requesting a check-in." She placed a hand up to her headset, hearing just static. "KRSS _Belfast_ , KRSS _Caledon_ , this is KRSS _Warspite_ , please respond." Her ears raised as she looked back at Concha. "Nothing."

"I wouldn't think that two cruisers would have simultaneous radio failures at the same place. Something stinks to high heaven about this." Concha said, massaging his chin. "Take us through. Mr. Prower, until otherwise ordered I want the ship on complete EMCON."

"Complete EMCON, aye aye." Miles looked back at his tablet, where Maria looked at him, holding her hand out towards the camera.

"I have to go. We're going to find out what's going on, and I'm going to get you out of it." The fox said, holding his hand out.

"I know you will. Please hurry though. I love you Miles." Maria said quietly.

"I love you too." The fox said, hesitantly reaching out to close the connection. Then he set his tablet back into its case as he focused back on his terminal, executing a complete shutdown of all communications. The fox also enforced password changes for the local system accounts for all members of the Engineering, Communications and Weapons sections, getting the update prompt on his own system afterwards.


	18. Chapter 17: Assault On Space Station ARK

**Chapter 17**

 **Friday, May 24, 2115**

 **Space Station ARK**

One of the transports that was moored with the ARK stood out from the others. It was not used for slave transport but had much more vital role. A gaudy coat of arms for the House of Acorn was painted on the side, a crucial element that was somehow missed by the prize crew from KRSS _Caledon_. This oversight cost them their lives, and even then, their dignity was further sullied by the loss of their uniforms and equipment. The precise way that the Knight Champion had handled them left both untarnished, but that couldn't be said for the bruised, pulped heads of their former users.

The Knight Champion was a hedgehog but not one seen before amongst the Acornians until earlier in the year. It had no quills for its body was completely metal, blue in color mainly, with accents of silver and gold. It stood taller than any of the other Acornians, armored body gleaming in the bright lighting of the royal 'yacht' RAN _Hoherbaum_ , advancing slowly beside the creeping figure of King Frederick Acorn. The seventy-one-year-old Acornian squirrel wheezed, a helmet upon his head not unlike the Imperial German _pickelhaube_. He squeezed the fingers of his left hand into a fist, the motion causing a quiet clicking sound. Then he opened his fingers and held his hand up towards his face. This arm still took getting used to, having long been a subject of personal humiliation up until a surgical robot finally removed it and installed the vastly superior replacement he now wielded.

"Now is our time to strike, my champion." Frederick proclaimed, looking at the hedgehog. "You will lead us out. Any resistance is to be cut down with your usual brutal efficiency." All that he received in response was a slow nod from the robot, who turned to face the gangway, opening the outer door before marching forward. Red lights pulsed throughout the yard as it made its way off the gangway, panning its head around from left to right. The hedgehog walked on towards the blast door that would lead to the inner part of the station, stopping in front of it. The barrel of a gun suddenly appeared out of a special port in the door as a male voice called out from overhead speakers.

"This is Corporal Thorndyke," The voice said, analysis suggested the man was young, stress patterns indicating he was keyed up. "Identify yourself." The hedgehog looked down the barrel of the weapon and said nothing, moving closer.

"That's as far as you go!" Thorndyke called out. "Identify yourself or I will open fire!"

The hedgehog's red eyes glowed as it scanned beyond the door, four humans on the other side, their thermal profiles lighting up. It calculated the best possible approach and suddenly struck, reaching out to grab at the barrel of the weapon. Thorndyke squeezed the trigger, the 5.56 rounds bouncing off and away harmlessly, not even leaving a dent in the hedgehog's armored body. It pulled in hard and Thorndyke instinctively but mistakenly continued to hold on to his weapon as he was pulled against the door. Struggling to pull his weapon back, Thorndyke stared down at the opening as the robot brought its other hand in, grabbing him by the wrist and clamping down hard. Pain exploded up his arm, causing him to yell.

The robot then yanked the rifle away, throwing it behind it, the weapon clattering away. Continuing to hold Thorndyke's wrist, it pushed inward and then violently pulled back, causing the human to crash against the door, his head only protected by the helmet. The hedgehog repeated the action more forcefully, again and again until Thorndyke's body went limp. The three remaining guards pointed their weapons at the port but held their fire, not wanting to shoot their corporal who might have only been knocked unconscious despite the blood coming from his nose, mouth and ears.

The hedgehog now pulled Thorndyke's arm in towards itself to get a grip on the front of his uniform then wrenched his arm back in, raising him up to where it could see his belt pack. It reached in and grabbed a grenade, releasing Thorndyke before pulling the safety pin and releasing the spoon, waiting a few seconds dropping it through the port. The guards saw the grenade bounce, not having enough time to backpedal or even dive as it went off, knocking them back. Their vests might have protected them but there was still a likelihood for injury.

The hedgehog watched their thermal profiles as they dropped. It tilted its head and reached in back through the hole in the door, arm telescoping out as it fished around to find the door's release switch. It withdrew its arm after hitting the switch as the door rumbled, beginning to rise. Once there was enough clearance, it crouched and entered and surveyed the carnage. Then it picked up a carbine and pressed the barrel against each guard's face, systematically confirming its kills.

 **Space Station ARK**

 **Medical Deck**

The patients that had attacked them were still trying to batter against the locked door. Rotarl held her pistol in her right hand, handing Maria her tablet. The human angled it towards the mouse so that she could use it one-handed. The mouse was looking at a map of the station where icons representing alert parties were moving. She swiped down to a deck above Medical and noticed one near a maintenance tube that ran vertically along the station's spine. Rotarl pressed on the icon and took inventory. Chief Master-At-Arms Knuckles was leading this group, seeing that name was a relief. So, Big Red was either back in the field or recognized the problem and took the initiative. She pressed the call button and waited for the connection to be made.

The echidna appeared on screen, from the view it looked like he was carrying the armband version of the tablet. He held his carbine one-handed and then looked off to the side. After a few moments, Knuckles turned his attention back to the call.

"Master-At-Arms Knuckles, reporting. What did you need, Lieutenant?" The echidna asked.

"Master, we are currently pinned down in Medical by a large group of hostiles. They were the sick and wounded that were picked up in our anti-trafficking patrols, but it seems that there was a lot more to them. We're secured for now, but I don't know how long we can hold. Can you bring your party down and break them up?" Rotarl asked, twitching her ears.

"As a matter of fact, we were on our way down to Medical. Rules of engagement?" Knuckles asked.

Janus looked at Maria, twitching her ears again.

"If they move in, there's a very real possibility these people are going to be shot if they can't be run out." The mouse said.

"Shot? But there's children with them!" Maria protested.

"I know that! But they've either been indoctrinated or placed under organized control. For all I know they might have been a willing part of the plan to invade here." Rotarl reasoned.

"Well don't they have any non-lethal weapons?" Maria asked.

"With all due respect," Knuckles looked at Maria quickly. "Doctor, we've had a very hard time with non-lethal weapons. These people don't go down no matter how many rubber bullets or shockers you put on them."

"What about gas, Master?" Someone spoke up from offscreen on Knuckles' side.

"We can try to go in with gas first." The echidna reached down and pulled a black gas mask up, one specifically fitted for his kind. Maria could hear the hiss of the respirator as Knuckles nodded. "We'll try it your way first, but if there's resistance, I suggest you best duck down so that you don't have to see what happens. That is, if the lieutenant orders this as our ROE."

The mouse's ears lowered as she looked out at the attackers continued to swarm around, still holding improvised weapons. Then she looked at Maria and shook her head.

"I'm sorry, Doctor. But that's the best compromise that we can work." Rotarl looked at the tablet. "Your rules of engagement are to breach with gas and attempt to rout the attackers. Lethal force is authorized if absolutely necessary."

"As you say, Lieutenant. Can you talk us in?" Knuckles asked, his voice muffled.

The mouse switched back to the command display, looking at the tube that Knuckles' party was at and followed it down to Medical. Having a landmark, she looked out the large window and then made a motion to have Maria turn the tablet to face the window.

"You'll be inserting directly by us." Rotarl said.

"Is that room airtight?" Knuckles asked.

"I hope so. Worst case scenario we'll probably have some coughing and irritation. But we have Dr. Robotnik to take care of that." The mouse answered.

"Got it, we'll be down shortly. Out." The echidna said, the connection cutting. Rotarl had Maria turn the tablet back so that she could look at it, swiping back up to the level above. As time ticked on, she watched the icon enter into the shaft and slowly ascend down in single file. They seemed to be on a large platform meant to allow for a group around their size to stand safely. The mouse frowned, wondering why they hadn't opened the door yet. Then a flash of light caught their attention. Sparks and a blue glow could be seen down the center seam of the door.

"It was locked down. So, whoever that's gotten on here managed to mess with security systems. Great, just great." Rotarl murmured. But the cutting had a side benefit, it was getting their attackers' attention. Slowly they stepped away from the window and door to the nurse's station, assembling near the maintenance access. As the torch made it down to the bottom, it seemed the team was pulling at the door to part it slightly. Then the attackers started to look down as six grenades rolled out onto the floor. Three of them touched off a series of bright flashes that made Maria and Janus look away. Then a yellowish gas started to bloom out from the other three.

The attackers started to stagger back, reactively dropping their weapons and coughing. Whatever that was controlling them was allowing them to be organized towards a goal, a sort of hive mind, but to their disadvantage they were still organic by majority. The gas entered into their eyes, nose and mouth, penetrating further into their respiratory systems, bringing about irritation. The physiological response was instinctive. Some sneezed, they were almost all guaranteed to be coughing and squinting. There was disruption all around as the maintenance access door was further opened. Knuckles barreled in first, holding his weapon at the ready as the disoriented patients continued to stagger and collapse.

For those that seemed to still have some fight, he and the other spacers knocked them down to the ground, dropping more gas grenades as needed to where Maria and Janus couldn't see. The spacers were now taking zipties off from their belts and armor vest rigs, kneeling to start restraining them by their arms and feet. Suddenly there was a sound of fan motors starting up in the ceiling as the gas began to be vented out. Knuckles looked up after securing one patient, grunting.

"What the Hell?" The echidna called out. Then alarm klaxons started to go off, red lights flashing all throughout the wing.

"Fire alert, fire alert. Deploying sprinklers." The voice of the ARK's main computer personality could be heard. Water started to rain down within the wing as the spacers began to rise, bringing their weapons up. Some of the attackers began to raise their heads up, those unsecured now regaining strength to rise, snarling as they began to attack Knuckles' team.

"Get down!" Knuckles barked, slamming the full weight of his body into the nearest patient. Then he looked back at the nurse's station and juked to avoid another that was coming at him, ducking down to cause them to overshoot, slamming into a wall. He made his way to the door as Maria and Janus went to it. Janus reached down to disengage the lock but got a flashing red light from the keypad.

"It won't open!" Rotarl yelled, beating her fist against the door. Knuckles looked back at his team and pointed at one of them.

"Ray get over here with your torch!" he called out.

A yellow-furred Keplerian that resembled a flying squirrel started to make his way over, sparking his torch as the others continued to fight with the attackers. He brought the torch's flame up to the top of the seam and started to run it down, more time focused where the locking mechanism would be before reaching the bottom. Rotarl reached out and pulled on the handle, grunting as the door gave. Knuckles reached out and grabbed the mouse along with Maria, putting them directly in front of him so that his large body could cover them as he steered them towards the maintenance tube.

"On your feet! We are leaving!" Knuckles yelled out as his group began to break off from contact, holding their guns up, firing up in the air to dissuade them from following as they shrank back. Maria was climbing up the ladder first, trying not to look down as one of the echidna's team that was waiting at the top pulled her up onto the next platform. Rotarl was next, though made her way up unassisted. They exited out the open door onto the deck as Knuckles' team filed out with them.

"They're following." Vector, a large reptilian said. Ray knelt and sparked his torch again, cutting into the supports at the top as the attackers began to climb up. Once they were cut loose, Knuckles stepped in with Vector holding him by the back as he stomped down on the top of the ladder, causing it to buckle and angle inwards, causing one to lose balance and collapse upon the ones beneath them. They tangled and plunged down, some hitting other platforms, some getting a more merciful end by traveling down to the bottom, wherever that was.

 **KRSS** _ **Warspite**_

 **KRSN Auxiliary Orbital Naval Yard – Space Station ARK**

The outer doors had opened on approach, the onboard transponder at least working to make that happen. As the battleship docked in its usual berth, tension ran high in the bridge. Once the ship was secured, Concha stepped up to Tails' station and leaned against it. The fox looked up from his console, his ears twitching. Concha adjusted his glasses, sighing quietly.

"You'll want to go on a boarding party, won't you?" Concha asked.

"I will. I must get Dr. Robotnik to safety, Captain. I don't know what's going on within the ARK, but I can't just sit idly here if she's in danger. My mind is set, with respect, I hope you will give me permission but I'm going, even if it's just with my sidearm." The fox replied.

"Lieutenant, you know that would be considered as desertion if I didn't give permission. But I've given it some careful thought, I'll task a team to you. If you all wear full gear. It's just like a hostile ship boarding. But remember, there's more than just her to look after. I expect you, if you do get in contact with her, to carry out your mission to secure the station and get people to safety. Do not take any unnecessary risks, we may need your expertise to help with whatever that's affecting our fleet here." Concha said. "Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal, Captain." Miles rose up to his feet. "Requesting permission to assemble."

"Granted, Lieutenant. Keep in touch." The human said, straightening up to return to his seat. Miles stepped away from his station and began the familiar trek to the armory. He began the methodical process of checking his gear, ensuring his Webley had a full cylinder and enough speedloaders to feed it. Then he got into a boarding suit, another team member checking its seals for him before giving a visible thumbs up. The fox put several grenades and tool sets on his belt before taking up a carbine, marching off to the gangway. He took a deep breath as the outer door opened, stepping out as his team followed him in single file.

They emerged out into the yard interior, looking around. Seeing a transport ship, Miles tilted his head and looked it over. This one had an outer marking painted on it that was different from the other Acornian transports. Moving closer, he pointed with an open hand towards it. The team carefully moved closer and then came to a stop at the railing. Miles peered at the marking, recognizing it as the coat of arms for the Kingdom's royal family, the House of Acorn. He looked over at the _Warspite_ and opened communications to the bridge, his transponder whitelisted to go through past EMCON.

"Lieutenant Prower to Captain Concha," The fox said.

"Concha here, what do you have, Mr. Prower?" The human replied.

"There appears to be a transport right beside us that looks like it was carrying a high-value target. There's no guards or other activity but I think we'd better get the main battery on it, just in case." Prower advised. No sense in letting them have an easy way out.

"Stand by," Concha said. "Weapons Officer put main battery and secondary battery on the target immediately starboard to us. Hold fire until instructed. Is that all, Mr. Prower?"

"It is, we'll be proceeding inside now." Miles said. "Prower, out."

He turned and watched as the four-gun turrets started to rotate to the right, the gun barrels adjusting their elevation for a point-blank shot. It might be overkill, but at least if there was movement, one shot from any one of the turrets would put the transport out of action. He sighed in relief, perhaps they were going to bag King Frederick after all down the line. Then he started to move towards the open door that led to the interior of the station. As his team got closer, he noticed something was off. There were four bodies lying on the floor. Stopping in front of them, he knelt. U.S. Army green armor. Reaching for the closest body, he carefully rolled the victim onto his back and noticed the ugly crack in the helmet, as well as the blood pooled on the floor, coming from his mouth and nose. Miles noticed a chain on the man's neck and pulled it up, revealing a set of dogtags.

"Private Christopher Thorndyke, United States Army. Born April 6, 2097. Only just turned eighteen, didn't you? Poor kid." He reached out and closed the dead soldier's eyes with his index finger. "Probably one of the first to go down. We'll get payback for you grunts." Miles slowly raised himself to his feet. "And we'll make sure you get a proper service." He raised his carbine up to ready position. "Keep your eyes peeled. I don't want us getting caught by surprise like this."


	19. Chapter 18: King Takes Bishop

**Chapter 18**

After the assault on Thorndyke's checkpoint, the hedgehog robot had received new instructions. King Frederick had his way in now and he would take over the station. Based on these new instructions, the hedgehog would have freedom of movement to accomplish these new objectives. There was a kill/capture list of high value targets and as the hedgehog ran through them, there was nothing but simple acknowledgement, at least until the final target's designation. Recognition dawned on the name and it caused the hedgehog to come to a stop.

Miles Prower tagged with a kill order. The hedgehog lowered its head, red eyes fixed on the floor. Confusion rose up in its mind as it queried its own memory. A young fox of around eight running around, fighting alongside...it? Flying a biplane to carry it places. The hedgehog reached out wirelessly to access the captive station computer, doing a general search for the same name. A file appeared, showing an older fox whose photo was last taken on his assignment to the _Warspite_. Not a boy of eight but a man of twenty-two. Taller, but there was no mistaking the two tails.

The hedgehog tried to reach out and extend its presence into the KRSN network but was rebuffed. A second attempt failed, prompting the hedgehog to attempt to actively penetrate the network. The deck seemed to disappear, replaced by pure darkness before a multicoloured grid appeared at the hedgehog's 'feet'. A brightly coloured gate was directly in front of it, it tried to race forward to batter into it. As soon as it made contact, a burning sensation could be felt.

Felt? The hedgehog was launched back out of its netrun, hands reaching up for the top of its head as the burning sensation intensified. Then from afar, a signal activated a reservoir of analgesics, killing the pain and restoring control. The hedgehog would have gritted its teeth, if it had any, for underestimating the KRSN's information security systems. It would have to get its information another way, checking the profile it accessed earlier. Lieutenant Prower was assigned to the KRSS _Warspite_. Where was it? The hedgehog accessed the station's security system and checked the yards, locating the battleship. There was a concern, the _Warspite_ was beside the _Hoherbaum_. Should it inform King Frederick? A negative response came back with further information. Prower was connected to Maria Robotnik, a capture-or-kill target. She was last sighted by an infiltrator group leaving the Medical Deck. Two objectives at once, this seemed ideal.

 **Research Deck**

As soon as the security alert was activated, Geralt Robotnik had stayed within his office as protocol demanded. Two Swedish Armén troopers stood outside of his door, weapons pointed in the two directions an assault could come from. When the Acornians had arrived, they had challenged them despite being outnumbered and knelt down to fire at King Frederick. But one of his contigent had instinctively interposed themselves in the line of fire, falling down as others formed in around him, firing back. Thanks to the modifications that they had, they were able to precisely respond by shooting the two humans in the face. Geralt cast his eyes downward, steepling his fingers together as the door to his office was opened.

"Hello, Professor." Frederick said, holding no weapon of his own as his men guarded the outside. "It is my understanding from the intelligence we have gathered that you are the chief scientific authority on this station, is that not correct?"

"It is." Geralt slowly raised his head up and looked the elderly Acornian in the eye. "Though if you were to want to ask questions of that nature, surely a call would have worked out more favorably, yes?"

"Not for my purposes. I see that you do not have a weapon, otherwise you would have tried vainly to resist, or even possibly consider suicide." Frederick observed.

"I don't carry a weapon as a rule. I am a doctor, sir. I do not waste life, and especially my own. Suicide? That's a rather strange thing to expect." Geralt countered.

"I would have expected my own scientists if they were penned in like this to do so to protect the knowledge they gathered." Frederick said.

"That only serves to stunt progress and to serve a man's paranoia. Everything I have worked on is public record in some way. I have nothing to hide, nothing for you to covet." Geralt said evenly. "Your Majesty, if I'm not mistaken? I've met my share of Acornians and even treated them when we arrived on Kepler-22B. I've even met your son Maximilian."

"I have no son," Frederick growled, the fingers of his left-hand tensing with a click. "And I do not recognize this so-called Keplerian Republic that human hegemony and manipulation of a traitorous colonel brought about."

"The Republic was established lawfully and is backed by the support of the United Nations. You may be standing here with your men, you may even be holding this station, but you must realize that you are facing the combined might of several powerful nations along with the Republic. They will break this siege, your Majesty. Your men will be arrested or killed. I wonder, are you going to stand with them or run away like you did in 2085?" Geralt retorted, adjusting his glasses.

"I am going to stand as master of not only this station but also as rightful king of both your planet and the one you stole from me. You are going to help me in isolating Earth from assistance by the Republic." Frederick's lower jaw twitched.

"And how do you expect me to do that? Primarily I am a biologist, you should know I only follow physics and engineering from a supplementary perspective." Geralt said, leaning back in his seat. "I have nothing to hide from you because I have nothing of value to give you. Unless you would like me to discuss the likely hereditary nature of megalomania that runs in your genetic line. That is something I could certainly discuss for hours."

"You have authority and access though to this Chaos Reactor that drives the Warp Gate!" Frederick snarled. Geralt reached down and took hold of his ID card which was hanging from a lanyard, raising into view.

"You mean this?" He pulled the card out of its protective plastic sleeve and reached down to jam it into a nearby shredder, activating it. Frederick's nostrils flared as the machine whined and whirred, filling the room with sounds of plastic tearing. His muzzle started to redden as he started forward, raising his hand and making a fist before slamming it down on the desk, causing everything on it to shake and scatter.

"Security systems can be bypassed, human. You will cooperate with me regardless, and I think for that little act of defiance I will exact the appropriate price. Your granddaughter is a doctor on this station. I think we will make a proper example of her." Frederick's voice lowered. "With every attempt that you make to hinder me, the more drawn out and painful her death will be, Professor."

Geralt rose up from his seat, the king's guards raising their weapons up to point them at him as he slowly came from around the desk, making a point of his height as he leaned in.

"If you do anything to Maria, you're going to answer for it." The human growled.

"To who? You? I thought you didn't waste life, _Doctor_." Frederick smirked.

"Not me, but to a young man who loves her dearly. If you do anything to her, I know with certainty that he will come looking for her. He has the tenacity of his father but the intelligence of his mother." Geralt said quietly. "In fact, I'm certain if he knew you were here, Lieutenant Prower would hunt you down for his mother. But without a question, he will kill every one of you for Maria."

"Prower." Frederick curled his lip and spat on the floor. "No, I doubt that he would try and fail. My guess is that he will be struggling to get off his ship. Assuming he is stupid enough to cross onto this station, he will be captured or die like the others that tried to defend this station. Perhaps we'll make a show of it so that your dear granddaughter can watch him die before we kill her too. Now Professor, if you would accompany us."

Geralt moved slowly away from his desk as the guards moved to enter the office. Frederick turned on his heel, putting his back to the human. Geralt looked around and reached into his labjacket's vast pockets, feeling around. His fingers closed around one of his pens, which he clicked open and shut in a rhythm. Then he opened it again while Frederick looked back momentarily. He waved towards his guards to step out from his way as the human's face grew hot, visibly reddening. He pulled the pen out and put his right foot out, hooking the Acornian's own to stagger him. Frederick yelled as the taller man grabbed him by the left shoulder, pulling him in, bringing the pen in his right hand up to strike, aiming for Frederick's neck.

Blood squirted from the entry wound, splattering on the Acornian's uniform and Geralt's fingers but he could tell that he didn't get a major vein or artery. Frederick snarled and threw his back into the human, breaking the grapple and stepping back as the guards rushed in. Geralt was about to put up a fight when he heard a loud bang that deafened him, making his ears ring while his shoulder burned. The guard to his right grabbed him and pushed him forward out of the office while the other stopped to tend to the king. Geralt tried to turn, spitting back at the Acornian as blood blossomed on his jacket like a wine stain.

 **Observation Deck**

"We should see about getting to the flight deck." Janus said, looking at her tablet. "Lieutenant Prower should be bringing the _Warspite_."

"Assuming they didn't get hit by what knocked out the other ships." Knuckles said, staring out of the lengthy window that ran along the outer wall. Maria stepped up beside him, her mouth opening wordlessly as she saw both Earth and Keplerian ships floating adrift, some of them beginning to burn into the atmosphere due to Earth's gravitational pull capturing them. If they couldn't get maneuvering back online at a minimum the ships and their crews would be casualties, perhaps some would get lucky and strike into the water. Others may be worse off, crashing into populated areas. The United Nations was going to have a very fine mess on their hands.

"What about other survivors? Shouldn't we try to take as many people with us as we can?" Maria asked, looking to the echidna.

"If we come across any, it seems a good deal of the station's population has been taken prisoner. The aggressors probably want hostages as a bargaining chip. No one would dare incapacitate the station with that possibility in play."

"No one would dare do that to begin with because of the Warp Gate." Janus put in. "That separates Kepler-22B from us. Reinforcements, data, trade are all at stake there too."

"There's one other thing that bothers me." Knuckles said. Ray and Mighty looked at each other with a nod.

"No one's following us." Mighty said.

"They were all sorts of crazy over the idea of coming after us." Knuckles commented. "Well boys and girls, it's time we got moving." He stepped away from the window, bringing his carbine up. "Robotnik, Rotarl, form up in the center."

"I can fight, Master." Rotarl countered.

"You're our de facto officer, your safety needs to be assured if things get hairy. Worst case, you'll need to break off from us and take Robotnik with you." Knuckles rumbled.

"Fair point, but I'd rather not have to put any of you in for posthumous Grand Crosses," Janus said.

 **Medical Deck**

Interrogative.

Location of primary target: Robotnik, Maria

No longer on this deck, last sighting on Observation Deck before secondary force lost cohesion.

The hedgehog looked down at the carnage within the service access for a few moments before calculating a trajectory for its next move. It took a few steps back and then ran forward, leaping up to claw at the remnants of the ladder that was torched by Knuckles' group. Boosters in its feet fired, allowing it to release the remnants, rising and moving forward enough to lower down on the deck. It stepped out through the open door and panned its head from left to right. Sensors picked up on slowly dissipating traces of movement. Linking into the main security network of the ARK, it was not rebuffed with ICE as it was when it tried to enter the military networks. Camera feeds from the active cameras on the Observation Deck filled its vision while it filtered out the empty feeds.

It was rewarded with a good angle on Knuckles and the others as they walked quickly down the corridor. The hedgehog's primary booster in its back lit up along with the boosters in its feet as it hovered, skirting dangerously close to a wall as it started to steer along the inner edge. Several secondary targets with the primary target sighted and coming into range.

 **Observation Deck**

They heard the hedgehog's boosters burning, it was hard not to hear it by any means. Knuckles quickly pressed up against the outer wall while the others did the same. He was sandwiched with Vector between Maria and Janus, their weapons pointed in the direction that the sound was coming from.

"What the Hell is that?" Ray muttered, Mighty pressed a hand to his mouth to silence him.

"Plug your ears," Knuckles hissed towards Maria and Janus. "It's about to get very loud." The human and the mouse lowered down on their feet to the floor, pressing their ears shut with their fingers.

Then came a loud scraping sound as the gleaming blue hedgehog came into view, the exhaust coming from its back and feet a telltale giveaway that it was the one making the noise. The hedgehog swung its legs forward, cutting its main booster while using its feet-boosters to brake itself before dropping to the deck. It looked at the assembled team with its glowing red eyes, taking note of the echidna, then of Maria.

"Batter up, fastfeet." Ray called out, unpinning a flashbang and rolling it down the deck. The hedgehog calculated its trajectory and kicked it back, sending it back at the flying squirrel, hitting him in the stomach as it went off. Ray fell and howled, the close detonation catching his uniform on fire as he patted it out with his free hand. Mighty put his sights on the robot and fired a burst, the rounds deflecting off its armored body while Vector and Knuckles broke away, moving in towards the hedgehog. It started to rise again by its boosters, rocketing forward to meet them.

Instead of sidestepping, the two large Keplerians put their bodies into the robot, their combined weight braking the hedgehog while it bled more power into its boosters. Knuckles reached up to grab at its head, while Vector grabbed for its shoulder, the two men as fit as they were, unable to bring any type of force to bear to buckle its armored body. The hedgehog swung one leg forward, firing off the booster at an intermittent burn, catching their uniforms on fire, causing them to reactively drop back. After partially putting himself out, Knuckles drew his sidearm and fired at the hedgehog's main booster. His rounds seemed to strike true as the booster suddenly sputtered out, a loud whining sound coming from it as it tried to re-engage, the bullets likely plugging something up. It fell back down to the deck, snatching out at Maria and Rotarl, who brought her own sidearm up to fire point blank into its face. The .455 Webley flattened against the glass-like overlay in front of its eyes, spiderwebbing it. Janus grabbed Maria and pulled her forward in front of her, ear ringing from the report.

"Go!" Rotarl yelled. "Run! Just run, I'll be behind you!"

The hedgehog's eyes burned a brighter shade of red as Knuckles and Vector came up behind it, grappling with it again. It curled up into a ball and forced Vector into the inner wall before knocking back into Knuckles, pinning him to the upper wall. Knuckles snarled while reaching back for his sidearm. The hedgehog started to uncoil, pressing harder into him while its left arm telescoped out, grabbing the weapon. Then it pointed the gun right into the echidna's chest and fired several times until it clicked empty before breaking off from him, watching dispassionately as Knuckles slumped against the wall, eyes glazing over. Vector bellowed and launched himself at the robot while it swung its right hand out, contacting the reptilian's eyes, his body suddenly hanging like a puppet on cut strings as the hedgehog's fingers closed into a fist to full closure before opening and letting the dead crocodile fall. When it focused forward though, Maria and Janus were gone, leaving a shaken Mighty and Ray behind which to their horror, were left ignored while the hedgehog marched on. They clambered over to Knuckles' side, Mighty placing two fingers against his neck.

"Get your trauma pack out," Mighty hissed.

"He's going to die, isn't he?" Ray whispered.

Mighty reached down and felt blood in some of the holes in the echidna's armor and uniform.

"Well he's going to get more likely dead if we don't pack his wounds." Mighty said. Then he looked in the direction the three went. "I hope the _Warspite_ gets here in time for your sake, Doc."


	20. Chapter 19: Pawn Takes Knight

**Chapter 19**

 **Observation Deck**

With an adjustment, the dark corridors of the ARK were better illuminated through the goggles in the fox's mask. So far, they had found no one else and before hitting Observation, the counter-boarding party had huddled to confer with the ship and other boarding parties. Contact with Rotarl had been attempted repeatedly as well but there had been no answer. In fact, things had looked decisively grim once they had come across Knuckles, Vector, Mighty and Ray. Upon sighting the fallen echidna, the fox knelt beside him and placed a hand against his neck while Mighty and Ray looked at him.

"Who are you?" Mighty asked, allowing a little bit of hope to creep back into his voice.

"Lieutenant Miles Prower, IWO for the _Warspite_. I've been seconded to a counter-boarding team." Miles looked down and noticed Knuckles' injuries, his nose twitching. "He's in very rough shape. What the Hell happened to him?"

"This _thing_ came out of nowhere, a robot I think. Made to look like a hedgehog. Hostile, we tried to stun it, but its reflexes were too good. It's like it knew what we were doing before we did them. The boss and Vector tried to slow it down, but it managed to get the boss' gun and gutshot him. Just crushed Vector's skull as if it was nothing and moved on. It was after something or someone, maybe the lieutenant and the doctor." Mighty explained.

"Wait, lieutenant and doctor?" Miles' ears raised up as he started to put two and two together. "Two women yeah? The lieutenant a mouse and the doctor human?"

"That's right. We pulled them out of Medical at the lieutenant's request and had to deal with those sodding techno-zombies." Ray put in.

"Zombies?" Miles tilted his head, looking at the flying squirrel.

"Yeah, those people we've been pulling off transports, getting their medical checks on station or on the ground. The ones here just seemed to snap and organize like a unit, as if something or someone was controlling them. We thought we cut off their approach, then the next thing we know that thing came after us." Ray said.

"So, they're connected in some way, the hounds for the hunter." The fox realized. "But why those two?"

"I have no idea, Lieutenant." Mighty murmured.

"Sorry, I was asking rhetorically. My party will take you back to the _Warspite_ through a safe path." Miles declared. He motioned for the other party members to approach, three of them slinging their carbines around their shoulders so that they could help pick Knuckles up. "I'll remain here to see if I can figure out where all three went."

"Be careful then, Lieutenant. That thing shrugged off carbine fire whenever we could hit." Ray said, looking up at the taller fox.

"I'll take that under advisement. Take some time to rest and refresh once you are aboard then place yourself at Captain Concha's service." Miles ordered.

"What about Vector?" Mighty asked, looking over at the crocodile's body with a shudder.

"There's nothing we can do for him, we'll have to leave him as he was for now." Miles answered.

"Aye, aye, Lieutenant." Mighty said sullenly, giving the crocodile one last look. "We'll be back for you, Vec. We're going to bring you home."

"Come on, mate. Let's get the boss to the surgeon." Ray said, angling his head to where the other _Warspite_ counter-boarders were going.

 **Main Observation**

Janus had to slow down mainly for Maria's sake after they had broken away from the pursuit by the hedgehog. Compared to the mouse, she did not have the regular and mandatory physical fitness regimens and the endurance that came from them. All in all, Maria's heart was racing and despite the environmental control systems still being online and on their normal settings, a cold sweat had broken out throughout her body. Her feet were also reminding of her of the abuse they sustained from the brief flight.

The way that robot looked at her, the way it rocketed towards her, ignoring the others that were a bigger threat with their weapons and role. It had targeted _her_ for some reason. Was it grabbing hostages? Or perhaps was it there to create wanton terror by killing select people? She was a doctor, moderately wealthy yes but other than being of the few humans that took a Keplerian mate there wasn't anything directly worthy of attention where she was concerned. Maria turned her head to the left, looking out at the drifting ships like she did earlier. Then she looked over towards the active Warp Gate. Then the insight struck her like lightning, she was a way to leverage her grandfather.

Kill or capture though? Was he already under their control? He was headstrong but still capable of being pressured. Or did he steadfastly refuse to give in to the enemy's demands? Was her fate already sealed as soon as the hedgehog or another like it got sight of it? Could someone even destroy something like that? Something that moved so quickly? Maria looked over at Janus, who was reloading her Webley. At least that put a crack in the hedgehog's eye-plating. Maybe with a few more well-placed shots it would be brought down.

Even better if Miles was here. He carried the same gun, but it was also likely that he had more people with him. A noise suddenly broke into her thoughts, a low whirring sound. Janus raised her free hand up and pointed her gun towards the source. In the low light, a Qinetiq MAARS-IX security robot rolled into view. Its targeting laser was not active and the camera that sat above the gun mount turned and looked up at the two before centering and rolling along. Then it suddenly rolled to a halt and turned the gun in the direction that they had come from, its targeting laser coming alive. The MAARS had detected something that it considered hostile. But they had seen other MAARS units that were shut down and there was no way either ARK-SEC or the military would leave those shut down in the middle of an emergency like this. This unit must have been taken off network, operating purely on threat detection algorithms and IFF signals.

So, whatever the MAARS had found, it was bad. Maria could hear rapidly approaching footsteps and they weren't from boots. It was the same loud clanking that she heard from that hedgehog earlier. Instinctively she took Janus by the arm and pressed a finger into her right ear. Getting the idea, Rotarl pulled Maria to cover, kneeling out of sight with her. Maria closed her other ear now and watched as the MAARS opened fire. It didn't have a pistol or even a submachine gun, MAARS meant business with a squad automatic weapon. The same hedgehog had appeared, the gunfire coming from the MAARS glancing off and finding places in the walls.

The MAARS seemed to roll backwards now, camera turning to look at Maria and Janus. Suddenly a generic male voice could be heard coming from its internal speakers.

"Cannot escalate force due to danger to friendly entities." It had said.

Maria look at Janus in confusion as the robot continued to roll back. Danger to friendly entities? If anything, the hedgehog was the only thing in the line of fire that they could detect. The MAARS started to roll forward and around the hedgehog now, gun pivoting to fire again. The hedgehog swept its leg out to kick at the robot, but the MAARS managed to evade, but its retreat lead it to where the hedgehog was able to grab it. Hoisting it up, it threw it towards the human and the Keplerian mouse.

Janus and Maria shrank back as the robot crashed against the pillar that they were taking cover behind. A telescoping arm started to slide out and push against the pillar to allow it to right itself. Its camera started to turn and focus back on the hedgehog again as it rolled forward, firing again before abruptly stopping.

"Cannot escalate force due to danger to friendly entities." The MAARS repeated.

"Let's get out of here then." Janus said to Maria, scrambling to her feet. She squared the hedgehog up with the sights of her Webley and fired. The hedgehog lowered its body down right as the muzzle flash came, avoiding the shot. But then came a volley of shots that stitched into the hedgehog's back. Maria looked at the MAARS in confusion since it had not fired. Then she looked forward, seeing a familiar vulpinoid profile in a boarding suit.

"Miles!" She unplugged her ears and then took a step back as the hedgehog began to rise, turning to face him. Then it pivoted around to look back at her.

Priority targets Prower, Miles and Robotnik, Maria found

Priority target Prower, Miles has higher threat index

"I don't know what you are but there's a few people that would like to see you made into scrap." Miles said with a low growl. "And I'll be happy to oblige them. Get away from her." The hedgehog turned to look back at the fox, its eyes started to flicker. A rush of images began to overtake its HUD, images of what it thought to be the same fox. It took a step forward towards Miles, who held his carbine on the hedgehog.

"T-Tails." A male voice suddenly came from the hedgehog but there was no mouth.

"I don't think we've been introduced." Miles said, ears flattening with apprehension. "I'd certainly think I'd know if I met a killer blue robot."

"Friend...my...friend. Go, away." The hedgehog said, its voice distorting as filters loaded and unloaded erratically while it turned towards Maria. "Leave."

"What exactly are you? Are you one of those prisoners we took off the transports? How exactly do you know my nickname anyways?" The fox asked.

"My name is…S-Sonic. Sonic. Fastest thing alive." The hedgehog replied.

"You're about as alive as a toaster." Miles shot back.

"Not much time…before I lose control." Sonic warbled. "Go."

"What's controlling you? Who's controlling you?" Maria called out.

"Robotnik-" Sonic turned back towards Maria, his eyes returning to full intensity. "Target identified as Robotnik, Maria. Termination order in effect." Then he started to charge forwards towards the woman while the MAARS slid in its path, bowling him over. Miles sighted the hedgehog in with his carbine and fired, causing Maria to put her fingers back into her ears. The rifle rounds made contact again and again but had no impact on Sonic's function. He sprang back up and turned to face the fox, charging at him. As Miles started to retarget, the hedgehog slammed into him, driving him down onto his back heavily, sliding across the floor. Groaning, the fox started to rise but then saw the hedgehog's red 'shoe' coming down onto his helmet.

Fractures in the protective plastiglass began to form while the hedgehog raised his foot up and slammed it down again. Miles suddenly felt both intense pain and a wet, warm feeling in his nose, hissing while involuntarily breathing in and out through his mouth. As Sonic raised his foot up, he now saw exhaust flames shooting out from the booster. Fighting through the pain and shock, Miles dropped his carbine and palmed his Webley as the shoe came down, intense heat burning into his fur. A high-pitched combination of a howl and a screech came from him as Maria looked away. Janus raised her own revolver up, hands shaking as she placed the front sight on the hedgehog's back, firing until the weapon clicked empty.

The ringing in her ears might have kept her from hearing him gag and cough as Sonic kicked him hard in the chest and abdomen but she still had to see it. Miles raised his revolver up and fired four times, each shot missing as the hedgehog darted out of the way with its superior reflexes. Starting to rise as every nerve in his burned face raged, he couldn't fight the impulse to blink, the sight in his left eye permanently obscured in darkness. He turned his head to the left, looking at the vast observation window. Protected by thick plastiglass that was heavier than his own faceplate if he remembered right.

"Out!" Miles' voice was a strained gurgle. He waved his free hand as Rotarl watched him, shaking her head.

"I-" The fox choked as he started to aspirate on his own blood. "order you to get out."

"What?" Maria removed her fingers from her ears while Janus started to move forward towards the hedgehog and the fox. Miles pointed the gun at Rotarl now, motioning with it.

"Lieutenant. I'm not going to leave you like this." Janus said.

"It's...the only way to beat this thing." Miles coughed as the hedgehog turned to march towards the mouse. He lined up the front sight and fired twice, causing Maria and Janus to be temporarily deafened. Rotarl turned to grab Maria, pulling hard on the dead weight she was presenting to force her along while the MAARS followed. Sonic started to charge at them while Rotarl suddenly felt a burst of new energy coursing through her body, using it to will her legs to move faster as a blast door before them started to close. Yanking hard on Maria's hand, she pulled her through as the MAARS barely made it. Sonic slammed into the blast door hard and then recollected himself, looking back at the fox.

Suddenly the air in the compartment started to rush out and loose objects like chairs and tables started to slide against the floor before tearing through the damaged plastiglass, creating a bigger breach. Sonic began to stumble while trying to move towards the fox but found himself involuntarily skidding towards the breach, boosters firing uselessly until they burned out from overload. Miles couldn't help but to continue trying to breathe from his mouth. The burning in his face immediately stopped as he began to slide more slowly towards the breach as a large blast shield began to rapidly fall. It was the second to last thing that he saw before his body crashed into it, before darkness fell over him and the room.

Then inexplicably words began to appear in the darkness.

Irreversible brain trauma detected

Blood pressure below sustainable levels

Ventricular fibrillation detected

No defibrillator implant detected

Committing last save to secondary storage


	21. Chapter 20: White Pawn In Development

**Chapter 20**

"What was that?" Maria asked as the deck shuddered from the blast shield falling. Janus turned towards the closed blast door and looked up at its top. Maria blinked, confused as to why she wasn't speaking. She moved closer to the mouse. "What was that, Janus?" Suddenly the mouse turned her head towards the woman, her purple eyes starting to glow. Maria stepped back in surprise as the mouse looked back towards the door.

"You need to get back, Dr. Robotnik." The mouse said, her tone an eerie calm. Then she looked back towards the door, closing her eyes for a few moments. Then the door began to rise. Once it rose high enough, Janus disappeared inside and started to walk further into the compartment. She turned her head from left to right, no sign of the hedgehog. Then she froze taking notice of Miles' body crumpled up against the blast door. Moving closer to him, she knelt, pressing two fingers to his neck. No carotid pulse. Then she reached out, opening his eyes. The pupils were fully dilated, no sign of any light reflex. Something caught the mouse's attention, causing her to focus on his head.

Zenith Defense Industries CSBv1.5 chip detected

CSBv1.5 operating and intact

Last biological state recorded:

Irreversible brain trauma detected

Blood pressure below sustainable levels

Ventricular fibrillation detected

No defibrillator implant detected

Committing last save to secondary storage

Save state successfully recorded

Asystole detected

Janus reached under the fox's back and started to lift him up, turning towards the blast door, carrying him through while triggering the door's lowering sequence again. Maria stared at her and then down at Miles' body, stunned. He wasn't moving and with the way Janus was carrying him, it was casual. She stepped closer as the mouse lowered him down to the floor. Then she realized what had happened, the way his eyes were fixed, noticing the same absence of light reflex. Pressing a hand to her mouth, she turned away and lowered down to her knees. Janus watched as Maria lowered her hand down to her chest, her body shaking as she turned and faced the two, sliding closer to the fox. The mouse could see her eyes reddening as tears streamed down her cheeks. Maria reached out and pressed her hand to the fox's burned cheek. Then she reached up and closed his eyes before dropping her head onto his chest, sharply inhaling before letting out a muffled shriek.

The mouse lowered down to her knees as well, waiting. After what seemed like a few minutes, Maria raised her head up, makeup running. Then her eyes widened as she looked at the way the mouse stared at her, much like the hedgehog. She slid back suddenly, sputtering and pointing up at the mouse.

"You're one of them, aren't you?" Maria hissed. "You were in their hands for the longest. Miles was the one that got you away from them."

"One of the Acornian sleepers?" Janus tilted her head. "If that were true, I would have likely killed the both of you by now. No, my loyalties were not in question. Especially to him. In fact, if we work together he can still be recovered."

"Recovered?" Maria looked back at Miles' body and shook her head. "He's _dead_. There's no way that body can sustain life any longer, in any shape."

"Correct, but there is more than way for a person to live, even past this state." Janus said, centering her head. Then she pointed up at her head. "Are you familiar with the concept of a cortical stack backup chip?"

"Yes, but they've been experimental for some time and not approved for general usage." Maria said. "Miles never had any degenerative brain disease or any other terminal condition that would have called for it and I would know if he did or went in for any trials. Not to say that procedure's even in the trial phase."

"He has such a chip installed. It was installed with the assistance of Dr. Moddex Everest. The uptime data shows it was activated Sunday, November 1, 2111." Janus explained. "Most importantly, it is working. It saved a checkpoint right as he was dying. His memories, thought processes, everything that you would use to define his consciousness is in there."

"Yes well, we may have a chip but how would we use it?" Maria asked, wiping her eyes.

"A suitable computer system could be used. But with the station under attack and main computer potentially compromised, I wouldn't recommend linking into it. A decentralized system. I would recommend something that we could arm." Janus advised.

"Like a robot?" Maria asked. Janus nodded and pointed past her. "That MAARS has more than sufficient power. If we tie the chip in, he could assimilate its systems."

"I would think if anyone was capable of it, he would. The boy thinks in code." Maria said softly, lowering his head. "Look at me, I've gotten so attached to him I speak of him in the present tense still, even though he's dead."

"What do we need?" Maria asked.

"Tools, there should be a maintenance area for the security robots nearby." Janus lowered down and picked up the fox's body. Then she stared over at the MAARS, the robot starting to become animated again, righting itself and rolling towards them. "I have it on manual control for now, so I would advise that we stay behind it."

 **KRSS** _ **Warspite**_

"Excuse me, Captain." The weapons officer motioned towards the main viewscreen on the bridge. Captain Concha got up from his chair and moved closer to the man. The weapons officer pointed towards the counter-boarding team's tactical display, then brought up the telemetry icons for Miles' team. Concha blinked and stared at them. One of them had went gray with a red X overlaid on it, biotelemetry readings going flat. Then he focused on the name, his eyes widening.

"We've lost the IWO, sir." Lieutenant Commander Percival said. Concha slowly reached up and took off his glasses, running his other hand through his hair.

"Goddamn it. The rest of his team's coming back though. What the Hell happened?" Concha asked.

"If I might suggest sir, you might want to look at the helmet camera in private. It wouldn't do to have this out on the bridge." The cat said quietly.

"Of course." Concha nodded and put his glasses on, making a fist. "Goddamn it." Percival motioned for Concha to take the lead. He looked over at Lieutenant Commander Bolton. "Take over if you would, Scott. I'll be in bridge conference with Mr. Bolton."

"Aye, aye, sir. I have the bridge." Percival acknowledged. Concha stepped out with Bolton joining him. They left the bridge and entered the bridge conference room, the cat locking the door behind them and blacking out the outer windows. Captain Concha leaned in and started to punch commands into the display where he typically sat.

"What's going on, Captain?" Bolton asked, watching the projector at the center of the table coming alive.

"Prower's dead." Concha spat, slapping the table. "I shouldn't have sent him on that boarding team. I should have sent someone else. So now I must write two letters and a report, that's the price I must pay for my foolishness. I shouldn't have given him permission to go."

"Sir. The lieutenant was counter-boarding rated and you did instruct him not to take unnecessary risks." Bolton said quietly.

"Risk is our business sometimes, Mr. Bolton. Sometimes even death!" Concha snapped. "That doesn't mean I have to like it." He then looked towards the projection that came up now. The two watched silently as a first-person view of the fox's fight against the hedgehog played out. Bolton couldn't help but to try to turn away as he saw the hedgehog's foot and booster came in contact, but Concha continued to watch as the Webley came up and fired twice, suddenly sending the viewer hurtling towards the blast shield. Then he rewound, seeing both Maria and Janus getting away. The human took a deep breath, held it and then let it out.

"He sacrificed himself to let them get away and put a highly dangerous asset out of play." Bolton said, leaning in. "Shall I put Lieutenant Prower in for the Victoria Cross?"

"No." Captain Concha straightened up and stared at the cat. "You may put Lieutenant _Commander_ Prower in for the Victoria Cross. Assuming we get out of this to where there's someone to receive the request. Take the bridge, Mr. Bolton, I have to make a call."

"Aye, aye, sir." Bolton stepped back and unlocked the room, giving it a five second delay before it relocked and darkened. Concha sat down in his seat, pulling up a communications system that he had wished he did not have to use. Establishing a one way and secured connection would take some time. He swallowed, readying himself to speak, the words clear in his mind.

Field Marshal, it is my regret to inform you that your son, Lieutenant Commander Miles Prower was killed in action on this day of May 24th, 2115.

 **Mobotropolis, Keplerian Republic**

I have outlived my wife and now my son.

Field Marshal Amadeus Prower had calmly closed off the call with Captain Concha but afterwards, the sixty-two-year-old fox rose up to his feet, and with a struggle he had upturned his desk. The loud thunderous crash of heavy wood, shattering plastic, shuffling papers and other equipment had gotten everyone's attention outside of his office. Even his red telephone added to the cacophony with a shrill busy signal. Then came the loud hoarse yell.

Major Antoine D'Coolette slowly approached the door and opened it, his ears twitching as he saw the fox pacing around through the wreckage.

"F-Field Marshal?" The coyote stammered.

"My son's blood is on their hands now." Amadeus growled, turning towards D'Coolette, chest heaving. "My only son is _dead_ , Major. I want an interservice meeting in ten minutes here."

"In your office?" Antoine asked.

"YES! IN MY OFFICE!" Amadeus bellowed. "I don't care! We are going to sit in here and come up with a plan to relieve the station and once we have that plan in motion, we are going to execute it and I'm going to get my hands on King Frederick and he will die, slowly."

"Ten minutes, yes Field Marshal." D'Coolette said, slowly stepping back. Amadeus slowly walked over to the bookshelves on the wall in front of him and took up the same bottle of whiskey that he had drank from close to fifteen years ago, uncapping it before starting to swallow every drop left in it.

 **Space Station ARK**

 **Small Robot Maintenance Bay – Observation Deck**

Janus had set the fox's body down on a large workbench, looking around before spotting a large red tool chest. She rolled it close to the bench while Maria approached from the other side. The mouse opened drawers, searching for a knife. Maria looked over at Miles' body before speaking.

"What do you have to do to get the chip?" Maria asked.

"You have to cut into the neck, at the base of the spinal cord." Janus said. Maria reached out and touched the mouse's arm.

"Then I want to be the one to do it. Kepleroid or whatever you are, I'm the surgeon here." Maria said quietly.

"I understand." Janus said, holding the knife out to her. Maria slowly took it and took a deep breath before putting on a set of insulated gloves that she had found. A little bit thicker than surgical gloves but she had to make due. She took the knife while Janus stepped around to roll Miles' body onto its stomach before moving the overhead light closer. Janus felt around the fox's neck and pressed down a region, grabbing a pen that was left there, drawing a line. "There is your guide line, Doctor."

"Thank you, Miss Rotarl." Maria said, slipping almost automatically into the behavior she adopted in the operating room. Ironically Miles was the model patient for rapid surgery here. No need to worry about infection or maintaining vitals, she could cut at will so long as she didn't cut herself or somehow damage the stack. She pressed the blade down against the fox's fur, cutting in deep and drawing it down the line as darkening blood started to flow out onto the bench. She extended the cut with clamps and made another cut, getting past the fat and muscle tissue until the base of his spine was exposed.

There it was, inside of a diamond mold that was made around the base of his skull and spine. Maria picked up an extraction tool and carefully guided it in to the operating field, closing its pincers around the handle and slowly pulling back. The chip was unseated, and she set it down carefully on an antistatic sheet on the bench. She carefully folded the sheet around the chip and moved to another bench where the MAARS IX sat, shut down. Unfolding the sheet, she set it down on the second bench. Janus lowered a magnifier that was on an arm, turning on its light, carefully studying the chip.

"No imperfections or issues from removal that I can see." The mouse said, looking at Maria. "Excellent work, Doctor."

"Will the blood be any problem?" Maria asked. Janus shook her head before pointing to an open panel that was between the two tracks. She saw the empty expansion processor slot and then raised her head. "There should be a set of keys around here for the weapon safeties."

"Weapon safeties?" Maria blinked.

"We're plugging him into a new system that's armed. I do not think that you would have wanted us to go through this effort to only end up shot by him." Janus said. "Engaging physical safeties would be best."

"You make a good point." Maria looked around and walked over to the tool chest that Janus was using, opening drawers until she found a ring of keys with a green plastic tag. She walked over to the mouse's side, holding them up. "Are these it?"

"Let's see." Janus said, taking the keys while squaring up the lock. Flicking through them, she held one and inserted it, turning it to the left with a small click. The mouse nodded before holding them out to Maria. "We'll keep that on until he's acclimated." Then Janus picked up the chip and inserted it into the expansion processor slot, beginning the startup process by flicking the main power switch. Nothing seemed to happen other than a small whirring sound from the base. Maria looked at the robot nervously while Janus looked over at a direction terminal that was set up nearby.

QinteQ MAARS Mark IX

BIOS Version 2114.06 rev 01

© 2114 QinetiQ Group plc

Memory Check – 4096 TB (4 PB) OK

Storage Check – 1024 PB (1 EB) OK

Expansion Chip Detected

Sideloading Expansion Chip

Zenith Defense Industries CSB v1.5

© 2111 Zenith Defense Industries Inc.

Malware Check Completed

No Malware Found

Host System Detected as QinetiQ MAARS Mark IX

Memory Capacity OK

Storage Capacity OK

CSB Integrity OK

No Biological Systems Detected – Monitoring Service Stopped

Copying Core Consciousness To Storage

Please Wait

After a few moments the camera turned to focus on the two women. Janus could see the first-person view from the camera while new telemetry was coming from the robot. She found herself unable to take control of it as she did earlier. Suddenly the camera feed went black, causing the mouse to reach for the terminal, trying the usual key combinations to get to a command line or to attempt to access task management. The shell was still there but just blank until Maria leaned in and noticed a new line at the bottom.

Acclimation in progress.

 **MAARS IX Datascape**

Everything around him was white. But the last thing that Miles remembered was crashing into the door, as well as those strange words that appeared in his field of vision before everything went black. He looked around for a few moments, realizing that he appeared to be alone before looking at himself. No boarding suit, that was strange. He appeared to be in his standard KRSN uniform. Reaching up, he took off his peaked cap and looked down at it. The texture felt right as did the weight. He hefted his cap for a moment before tossing it forward. It sailed forward for what appeared to be a meter before abruptly disappearing. Then he felt it back on his head, as if he never took it off.

"What the-" Miles reached up and took his hat off again.

"Mr. Prower." A male voice suddenly spoke behind him. The fox turned on his heel, finding himself face to face with what appeared to be another Keplerian fox, his fur more of a reddish orange of a classical Earth fox. He had a head of blue hair as well, with yellow eyes and rectangular rimmed glasses. Finally completing the ensemble was what looked like armor and businesswear combined.

"You gave me a start!" Miles growled. The other fox closed his eyes and bowed his head.

"My apologies Mr. Prower but we don't have very much time here." The fox said.

"Just who exactly are you? Where are we?" Miles asked, looking back up towards what he thought to be the ceiling.

"A more accurate set of questions would be 'Where am I?' and 'What am I?'." The fox said, crossing his arms. "As for me, I am technically not a person, just a virtual avatar of the man who created this system. His name is Dr. Moddex Everest, chief innovation officer for Zenith Defense Industries."

"I recognize the name." Miles said, looking back at the avatar. "One of the first and few Keplerian defense contractors. All right then, where am I? The last thing I recall was being on the ARK."

"You are still on the ARK." The Moddex avatar said. "As for the second question. It must be asked."

"Why can't you just tell me?" Miles inquired.

"My program only has a limited scope of awareness and abilities." The avatar answered.

"Fine, what am I?" Miles said, putting his cap back on.

"You associate yourself with the identity of Lieutenant Miles Prower, a 22-year old Keplerian fox who was born on October 16, 2092. Your program however activated today on May 24th, 2115." The avatar said.

"My program?" Miles focused on the fox's words, narrowing his eyes.

"Yes, your program. You are currently within a computer system, what appears to be that of a QinetiQ MAARS Mark IX armed security robot." The avatar advised. "This robot is your vessel, your physical body at this stage. Everything you see here, everything you sense, and feel is your own program."

"Physical body? I already had a body though." Miles swallowed, a sense of dread washing over him. _Had_. Then he started to put the pieces together, remembering what he had seen before everything went dark. "Unless I…unless I died."

"This program would have activated if the conditions meeting clinical death were met. A copy of your consciousness was saved within a cortical stack backup implanted at the base of your spine. It would have been ready to be installed into a proper vessel the moment that state was detected." The avatar explained.

"So, everything that I am is within one chip." Miles said quietly.

"Currently, no. You are within the robot's computer systems, using its sensors, storage, memory and processors. The cortical stack backup chip is refreshing and saving everything regularly so that if you have to be moved, you will not lose anything." The avatar said.

"Why did I have this though? I've heard some rumors about the technology, but they were just rumors. Why me?" Miles asked.

"I'm afraid I don't possess that information. You will have to ask Dr. Everest directly." The avatar said.

"Assuming I can get off the station." Then the fox's eyes widened. "Maria and Janus. I have to find them."

"First I would recommend that you take the time to probe the systems that are available to you. There are translation systems ready for use that will help you assimilate them." The avatar advised.

"That should be simple enough. I just think about it, don't I?" The fox asked. "I'm a MAARS Mark IX now." Suddenly the robot appeared in between them. "The camera is my eyes, there's microphones that would be my ears, speakers for a mouth. Weapons and other hardpoints for limbs."

"You've already activated the translation systems then." The avatar said. "Dr. Everest anticipated that you would be a quick study."

"This gives me a sense that this was preplanned though. I have to ask again, why me?" Miles said quietly.

"I'm afraid-"

"I'm afraid I don't possess the information." Miles said, then froze, his voice had transformed into a mimic of the avatar's. He blinked as the avatar smirked. "Fine, I'll ask this Dr. Everest when the time comes." His natural voice returned.

"My task is finished then, Mr. Prower." The avatar said, starting to disappear while the white space began to turn black. Suddenly he felt as if he was sitting on something like a table, Janus and Maria directly in front of him.

 **Space Station ARK**

 **Small Robot Maintenance Bay – Observation Deck**

"Maria?" The voice came from the robot's speakers and was unmistakable. Maria blinked in surprise as the camera panned around again to focus on her. She reached out and held her hand in front of it, flexing her fingers.

"He recognizes me!" Maria said incredulously. "Miles is that you?"

"It is." Then the camera turned to focus on Rotarl. "Lieutenant Rotarl."

"Lieutenant Prower." The mouse tilted her head as the camera angled up, lens focusing as it switched to a different spectrum.

"I detect organics but for the most part you are by majority robotic. A Kepleroid?" The fox inquired.

"That would apparently be correct, Lieutenant." Janus replied.

"Apparently? How could you not know?" Miles asked.

"It would appear that my creator wanted to ensure I could pass without scrutiny." The mouse said.

"I'm getting Zenith Defense product identifications all over from you." Miles said. "Would your creator happen to be Dr. Moddex Everest?"

"Everest?" Maria cut in, looking over at Janus. "Now I remember why that name seemed to ring a bell! He was there when Miles had that surgery. He seemed out of place. So, he put the chip into you but also positioned Janus here as well."

"Apparently so. Again, I don't know why." Janus said softly. "It would have been nice to have these systems activated far enough back to where some of this could have been avoided."

"What I don't understand is why I was chosen for this chip. You might have unknowingly assisted Everest in selecting me. For all I know your presence on that transport years ago might have been deliberate." Miles said.

"I..I hope not." The mouse blinked, tilting her head. "With what I had to endure on there, I thought it was just bad luck. Though it is possible there was some larger plan involved, I just do not know."

"Hopefully we can get some answers once I get you off the station. I have weapon systems, ammunition count is still green on all of them, but I can't activate targeting. Why?" Miles asked.

"We engaged a physical safety to ensure there wasn't any misfire." Maria said.

"Well turn it off, my aim wasn't bad in my original body. Now I have stability and better optics." The fox's tone of voice suggested he was grumbling. Janus angled around and turned the key this time two places to the right, a small green light lighting up before she removed the key and closed the panel. Cautiously, Maria and Janus stepped out of his line of sight.

"No jams detected in the squad automatic weapon, 40mm cannons seem OK as well, several ammunition types to load from including non-lethal. This will do nicely." Miles said.

"You seem to be awfully enthusiastic about this for someone who's been dead for several minutes." Maria commented from behind. He turned the camera to face her, one of the manipulator arms rotating and pressing against her abdomen.

"This is our way out and hopefully to a better body." Miles said. "One to where I can actually feel what I'm touching. Now, let's get started." He started to roll forward, causing Maria and Janus to bolt to grab him. The robot pitched forward but landed on its tracks, stopping.

"Damn it!" The fox growled. "That was stupid of me." Then he started to roll towards the closed door, the human and the mouse glancing at each other before following.


	22. Chapter 21: White Pawn Takes Egg Pawn

**Mobotropolis, Keplerian Republic**

"Vice Admiral." Amadeus staggered up to his feet as Vice Admiral Crow Seetan stepped into the ruined office with several other representatives from the Keplerian Republic Space Navy, the Army of the Keplerian Republic and the Keplerian Republic Space Marine Corps. The one-eyed fox and the wolf exchanged salutes, with the others about to follow suit until Amadeus waved them down. "I don't care about salutes at this time. We need to get the ARK back under friendly control. What's wrong with Earth? I would have thought they would have sent counter-boarding forces on the first indication of trouble."

"Political issues I would wager." KRSMC Brigadier General Norman James piped in with a low growl. "There's hostages of multiple nationalities, on a large scale and of course the Warp Gate. They're probably trying to figure out whose special operations forces are going to act, who's willing to take the blame if the shit hits the fan. Then you've got technical considerations with the virus that's crippled every ship and satellite that's near the damn station." He reached into a pocket on his jacket and removed a cigar, clenching it between his teeth before lighting it.

"The virus, that'd explain why we haven't heard anything from Earth since. The satellites are the first step in the communications process from Earth, the ARK runs the relay network which routes traffic through the Warp Gate, then our relays pick it up and our satellites bring it all down. Our equipment's fine here. So logically we should be the ones counter-boarding." Seetan positioned.

"We don't have any assets capable of fighting over there except for the _Warspite_ and the only reason we know that is because it was able to transmit through the Warp Gate and contact us." Amadeus said. "It's avoided infection because of emissions control."

"Then we gather every ship that can act as a transport, we gather all available cruisers, destroyers and patrol craft that we can get, and we put them on emissions control." Seetan concluded.

"Hang on there, Crow. You could put a fleet together, yes but how are you going to coordinate that large of an action in complete emissions control?" James asked, his ears twitching.

"We take a page out of Nelson's book." Seetan said reassuringly. "If the Army and Space Marines can get me the manpower for an assault force, I'll get the ships. We'll sit down and work out an overall plan as well as signals and let our subordinates understand what our objectives are, then give them the initiative to get them done."

"Nelson?" James blinked. "You mean you're going to utilize naval doctrine from a one-eyed, one-armed 18th century Brit?"

"We have to scale accordingly, Norm." Crow explained. "On top of it, working this way doesn't give the enemy anything in the way of signals intelligence."

"There's one thing I don't understand, and it bothers me." Amadeus cut in. "That's the logistics and command element of this attack. The Acornians were always on the defensive against us. They never centralized if they could avoid it. Every time we got close to anything major, they would pack up and evade." The fox moved over to the undamaged whiteboard on the wall and picked up a marker, drawing a rough L to make x/y axises. He wrote '2085' at the start of the X-axis and then made intervals on the Y-axis ranging from 0 to 1000. "Population and economics, they started with a small crew from that craft that escaped South Island in 2085. Let's say that as soon as we got spaceworthy others loyal to the Acornians joined them. They should not have had a stable population growth and with no market access, they had to be reliant on defectors, slavers and criminal profits." He started to draw a straight line from the point of 2100, then started to jump the line higher at 2115. "Suddenly they have robots? With what production capabilities? Someone's been feeding them."

"A rogue nation?" James chomped on his cigar. "Who has an axe to grind though? Everyone has everything to gain and everything to lose with this type of attack. It doesn't seem like an Earth nation and there would have been regulars sighted at some point."

"Maybe a private interest, then. We should do a little bit more intelligence gathering." Crow suggested. "Field Marshal, we should see if any of the _Warspite_ 's crew can bag us a robot or two. Preferably an active unit, but I won't be too disappointed if we have some wreckage to sift through."

"Know your enemy," Amadeus nodded. "Go ahead and wire the order."

"Should we see about having the crew swarm the station?" James asked.

"They are our best intelligence asset and firepower base there right now. I don't want to potentially lose that." Amadeus shook his head. "In the meantime, I am going to speak to Maximilian and request that we formally declare war against the Kingdom of Acorn so that we can shift production and get manpower reserves ready."

 **Space Station ARK**

 **Main Concourse**

The main concourse was arguably the hub for the entire station, situated in the middle, the civilian yard bays connected to it with enclosed gantries. It was also one of the largest commons area on the station next to the observation deck. Geralt had been led to the dimly lit concourse after minimal attention was given to his wound to keep him from bleeding out. Panting, the scientist was left with the other civilians on a bench. One of the red uniformed ARK-SEC guards recognized him and looked at his wound. Concerned, the brown-haired man knelt beside him.

"How are you doing Professor?" Karl Schmitz asked.

"Other than the pain and being penned in like this, I can't complain too much." Geralt smiled faintly. "I think I aggravated our captors, stabbed King Frederick in the neck."

"Not fatally, though I assume." Schmitz surmised.

"I'm afraid not. Even then, there'd likely be a number two to worry about. They wanted me to help them with the Warp Gate. Fat chance of that, I shredded my card. Unless they have some cryptological genius who can bypass the security systems for the Chaos Reactor, we've got some time at least." Geralt said, running his tongue around in his mouth, which felt dry. "How is everyone else doing?"

"We're fine. They're letting us roam around in the concourse though dinner consists of whatever that's still fresh in the restaurants or dry goods." Schmitz answered.

"So, there's water too." Geralt started to rise but Schmitz shook his head, placing his hand on his uninjured shoulder.

"I'll get you water, Professor. I'll be right back." Schmitz said, standing up.

Geralt started to straighten his posture, looking around for Maria. It was possible that their captors got her and put her into the general population. Then again if that were true, wouldn't Frederick had made a spectacle of it? How good was their communications? If he could find her, perhaps he could give a greater resistance to their efforts. He sat back as Schmitz came back with a foam cup of water and took it, drinking from it slowly.

"Have you seen my granddaughter?" Geralt asked. "She would have been working in the Medical Deck."

"I have not seen her, Professor. Then again, they are finding people and bringing them here, at least those they consider worthwhile or cooperative." Schmitz replied quietly. "Some of the newer arrivals say they saw dead or injured Keplerian troops, Space Navy."

"The garrison most likely." Geralt thought aloud.

"No, what little of the garrisons that were left alive were stripped of their weapons and brought here. These spacers had boarding armor on. A ship had to have attached here recently. Perhaps a destroyer or a cruiser made it, tried to help." Schmitz shook his head.

"But if it's the _Warspite_ then we might make it out of here. Perhaps if they send a larger armed party, we'll get out of this." Geralt reasoned.

"Spacers pressed in as naval infantry isn't going to get us out of this. This is something that I would expect either masters-at-arms or special operations forces to deal with." Schmitz countered. "They're twiddling their thumbs down there though on Earth. No demands have been given, they are completely blacked out up here."

"We have to stay resilient though. Sooner or later someone will come for us. We may have to work together to turn the tables on the King's forces. For now, we have to keep our heads." Geralt finally decided that he was tired of standing. "I'm going to get more water and find out more."

 **Observation Deck**

Adaptation (noun) – The process of change by which an organism or species becomes better suited to its environment

-Oxford English Dictionary

Seeing in normal color vision had its perks in looking familiar and normal to a mind still adapting but a combination of curiosity and inherent knowledge had caused Miles to switch to infrared. He was leading the way in formation with Maria in the middle and Janus in the back. Their footsteps were joined by the sound of his internal drive motors and the tracks rolling along on the floor, but he was still on the alert, lowering those sounds down with filters. Every so often he paused, turning the camera to look in a complete 360-degree sweep. This made Maria tense up every time, but a few seconds later the robot would continue forward.

"Find something?" Janus asked, breaking the silence as her ears twitched.

"No." Miles answered quietly. "No hostile contacts _yet_."

"You sound rather eager." Maria said hesitantly. The robot came to a stop as he turned the camera to look at her.

"If you're worried about some notion of revenge or bloodthirstiness intermixing with my mind because of my new shell, I can assure you I'm more eager to get you onto the _Warspite_ than anything." Miles countered with a strand of what sounded like annoyance in his voice. The camera swiveled forward as he detected new noise. New sounds that he hadn't heard earlier, machines approaching. They didn't sound like the hedgehog at least, there seemed to be a pair of them.

They were dark in coloration, a mixture of olive green and grey. Two glowing red eyes were the only features that could be made out in normal light. Though in infrared Miles noticed an energy weapon of some kind built into their right arm, a regular styled 'hand' on their left. There was something familiar about the design, but he couldn't exactly place it. They certainly didn't fit anything from ARK-SEC, the design was too anthropomorphic. He also wasn't reading any IFF signals, so assumed they were hostile, rolling forwards towards them.

The robots stopped, noticing him. They didn't seem to have as much trouble identifying him as hostile, as a moment later they had their right arms pointed at him. Definitely hostile, Miles thought as bright energy beams shot out at him, scorching at the floor near him. Tactical considerations had to be made as he started to reverse, 40mm grenades were out of the question at this moment. With a thought, the internal magazine switched over to its M993 7.62mm armor-piercing ammunition. He targeted the nearest robot and fired three shots in semi-automatic, the muzzle flashes briefly illuminating the corridor as the first robot stopped moving, a large hole in its midsection indicating the effectiveness of his choice. Miles rotated the turret to target the second and fired again. Other than the clinking and rolling of his spent casings, it was quiet again.

He rolled up closer to the destroyed robots and looked them over. What was so familiar about these robots? Miles switched from one infrared filter to another, seeing everything in almost monochrome black and white. From what he could tell, he didn't destroy anything critical to processing at least. Then he looked at the wreckage that separated from the robots, detecting hydrogen in the air. The conclusion to draw from this was easy, when he hit them with the M993 rounds, he struck what had to be hydrogen fuel cells, causing the hydrogen to be released into the air, he had killed their main power source. Rolling back to the bodies, he unfolded his manipulator arms and started to force one down onto its back.

"What do you have there?" Rotarl asked, starting to walk up to the robot. Miles turned his camera to face the mouse and shook it.

"Stay with Maria for now." Miles commanded. "I'd like to look this over myself." He rolled around to the head of the robot and brought the manipulators down slowly around where the head met the rest of the body. Angling one of the edges in, he hooked the manipulator claws and pulled to detach the head. There appeared to be a way to separate the halves from the inner neck which he did by position both claws to the neck, spreading it outwards. With the robot's head opened, he set it down, raised his camera and looked down at it carefully.

Everything fit together as far as what he was expecting from a robot like this. Optical sensors, microphones, audio processors, wireless network adapter, solid state storage and central processor were all there. None of the boards though or the chips had standardized markings. All of this was custom built but at the same time it was made in a factory. He zoomed in, following the traces and examining each chip until finally he stopped on the central processor. Finally, recognition dawned on him. If he had eyes, they would have been widening as he saw a familiar profile of an egg-like face with circles suggesting glasses and goggles on top. Though this profile looked wider than what he remembered. It looked very close to the Eggbot Corporation stamping.

He turned to face Maria and rolled over to her, raising the camera up while folding his manipulator arms in. Maria looked down at the robot, blinking as he said nothing.

"Did you find something?" Maria asked. The camera bobbed up and down to simulate a nod.

"The Acornians are using Eggbot designs." Miles said.

"Eggbot rebranded after Ovi died though." Maria raised her eyebrows in confusion.

"They're using his stampings though, so either someone from the company is selling off their excess on the black market or-" Miles trailed off to let her follow his line of thinking.

"Or Ovi's somehow still alive." Maria finished. "But you saw the explosion."

"We _detected_ debris." Miles corrected her. "As well as what seemed like an explosion in transit. But it wouldn't take much if the Acornians were planning this. Perhaps they sabotaged his shuttle engines, had a craft on standby to grab him and then left the remains behind for us. I must work out the mechanics of it but it's the only reasonable explanation for this. They have him, Maria and we've got to rescue him."


	23. Chapter 22: Black Knight Takes Pawn

**Chapter 22**

 **Space Station ARK Exterior**

Primary objectives still in effect

Terminate primary targets: Prower, Miles and Robotnik, Maria

Performing system health check

System health check OK

Engaging boosters

The hedgehog's eyes started to glow fully red again as it came back online. The boosters started to brake its momentum as it looked around. Open space with the ARK directly before it, Keplerian and human ships floating around useless. The nearest ship was the American destroyer USSS _William D. Porter_. Sonic turned to face it before pushing his boosters to full burn before cutting them off. No need to waste any fuel when inertia would do just as well, combined with the trajectory he set. For a moment, a wave of fear peaked as he noticed the point defense turrets, but it was quickly dampened out by the knowledge that they were offline.

He contacted the hull and brought his feet forward, magnetic locks sticking him to the hull. Carefully the hedgehog started to walk along the underside of the ship until he found an EVA lock. Interfacing with the outer lock access system, he was able to temporarily suspend the effects of the malware that was crippling it, watching the lock open. Gripping the ladder, Sonic began to climb after disengaging the maglocks in his feet. As the EVA lock door closed, he made his way to the top and opened the door in front of him.

The _Porter_ 's computer was slaved to him by way of the malware and he considered his options. He could bring down the life support systems but then again there was another option that allowed him to strike fear into the enemy. There was a nearby security armory that would do well for this purpose. Advancing on it, he noticed that there was not a roving security team. They were not expecting boarders. Inefficient. The hedgehog walked into the armory, which was more like a closet and disengaged the security locks protecting the small arms. He plucked an Atchinsson 12-gauge automatic shotgun and checked the drum magazine. All 32 rounds were present, this was favorable, but he took up a canvas bag and removed magazines from the other AA-12s and checked them before putting them in the bag before slinging it to his body.

He moved over to a stairway and started to advance up from what was believed to be Deck 4 to Deck 3, then found the stairway curled around, moving up steadily to Deck 2, then finally to Deck 1. No one came across him to momentary confusion, at least until he moved into the Combat Information Center. The crew there in CIC was still scrambling, trying to see how they could get the destroyer's systems back online. On sighting him, one of the crewmen reached for the 1911 that he had holstered but the hedgehog lined the AA-12 up and fired, knocking him over in his seat as it bent to the left. The other crew members turned to face him, some reaching for their weapons and some opting to try to go for cover. Sonic fired two more shots, twenty-nine left in the magazine as the spread of buckshot cut the standing men down.

He left the CIC by climbing another staircase that led directly into the bridge while bringing the ship back online. The red emergency lighting on the _Porter_ 's interior was joined by regular light, making the bridge crew glance around in confusion. The person seated in the center of the bridge, who Sonic assumed to be the captain blinked, then snapped his fingers.

"Security alert team to the bridge!" Captain John E. Kent called out, but there was just a hiss of static coming from his handmic.

"Ineffective." Sonic declared, pointing the AA-12 at the crew as he moved in. He stepped in front of Lieutenant Commander Kent and then turned to look up at the camera that was used for video transmissions. He looked over at the communications officer, pointing the weapon at him.

"Link the ship to your ground command uplinks." The hedgehog ordered.

"Sir?" The communications officer looked at Kent.

"Belay that, son." Kent stood up. The Michigan-born 25-year old lieutenant commander had his sidearm out and pointed it at the hedgehog. "Who are you and what are you doing on my ship?"

"My designation is Metal Sonic Mark V and my purpose here will be made clear once you have made the connection. If you fail to comply, I will kill this man and make the link myself." The hedgehog replied.

"Sir, if we make a connection to ground then the virus will travel down with it." The communications officer advised shakily.

"Unfortunate but correct." Sonic said.

"I'd rather go down with this ship rather than to allow that." Kent growled. He snapped his fingers towards the other bridge officers. "Send a party down to the engine room with hand radios, if you don't hear anything from the bridge then they're to blow the reactors. If you can make it to escape pods, do it." The hedgehog turned as the other bridge officers started to move and fired at their feet, knocking them down to the ground, blood pooling from where their feet and ankles had been, separated from them. Kent fired at the hedgehog until his magazine was emptied but Sonic did not return fire. Instead he pointed the weapon at the communications officer.

"If any of you want to live to get off from this ship, you will do as I command." Sonic growled. The communications officer paled as he reached out with shaking hands, starting to program the new instructions for the antennas. He didn't have to use the crew since he had computer access, but it was far more fitting to have them do his bidding.

A video link to United States Space Navy Pacific Command appeared with several people, among them an admiral with greying brown hair.

"USSS _William D. Porter_? We're surprised to hear from you, wait a moment. Who the Hell are you?" The admiral said, stepping into the center of his feed.

"This is Metal Sonic Mark V representing the Kingdom of Acorn." Sonic answered. "Identify yourself."

"This is Admiral Mark Peabody of United States Space Navy Pacific Command. What are you doing on my ship? Where's the captain?" Peabody demanded.

"Here Admiral," Kent had his hands raised up, empty 1911 in hand.

"Admiral, you are to instruct your superiors that there is to be no attempt to board the ARK or to retrieve your ships. Any attempt to do so will result in severe and fatal consequences." Sonic said, turning to point his shotgun at Kent. "As proof of our resolve, I will demonstrate our capabilities." He linked to the _Porter_ 's computer, bringing its weapons online as well as propulsion and helm.

"Sir," The helmsman reported to Kent after trying to manipulate the controls. "The helm's back online but not responding."

"What's our heading?" Kent asked.

"We are turning to a bearing of 40 degrees, mark 0." The helmsman said, looking at the computer display.

"Sir, weapons are online. Torpedoes are armed, and mounts are targeting. Master-1 is being assigned as HMS _Jervis_. Master-2 is being assigned as USSS _Indianapolis_ , Master-3 as HMS _Glowworm_ , Master-4 as FGS _Bismarck_ and Master-5 is Space Station ARK." The weapons officer called out. Before he could do anything, torpedo status panels turned from green to red. "Torpedoes away!"

"No!" Kent launched himself towards the hedgehog. "You son of a bitch!" Sonic thrust the shotgun into the man and shoved him away before bringing up camera feeds from the torpedoes as they proceeded towards their targets. _Jervis, Indianapolis_ and _Glowworm_ took two torpedoes while the _Bismarck_ took four before they exploded, their ruined hulls starting to dip down to Earth. The torpedoes sent towards the ARK however did not make contact and instead exploded at proximity, tearing into the space station's outer hull. The _Porter_ continued to turn and headed in towards the breach that was created as Peabody and the others at USSNPC watched in horror.

"Sir, there's a problem with our computers." An information warfare officer said. Peabody looked to him, then back at the hedgehog. "The virus. Have the hardlines cut! Send people with axes and torches if you have to!"

"Where are you taking us?" Kent asked. Sonic said nothing but instead pointed with his free hand towards the Auxiliary Orbital Naval Yard.

"There is still an active KRSN battleship that's managed to evade our attack." Sonic explained. "I intend to resolve that problem."

 **KRSS** _ **Warspite**_

"Sir, we're detecting detonations." Percival said as Concha raised his head up on the bridge. "Something fired torpedoes and destroyed at least four ships and caused several outer hull breaches on the ARK."

"There's a ship coming in, Captain. Bearing 120, mark -20 and approaching." Percival reported. "I think it's intending to engage us."

"Back us off slowly but get ready to go to quarter speed forward." Concha ordered. "Mister Percival, identify the target."

"The target is identified as the United States Space Navy destroyer _William D. Porter_." The cat stated. "Point defense reports that torpedoes are being fired. Countermeasures are operating on full-auto."

Concha took his glasses off and stood up, moving to Percival's weapons station. "Are the main X and Y turrets targeting the _Porter_?"

"Yes sir." Percival looked up at the human. "Shall I engage?"

"No. I will." He watched the monitor as the red obstruction alerts on the X and Y turrets began to clear as the ship reversed.

"It's launched all of its remaining torpedoes at us, Captain." Percival said urgently.

Concha pressed the firing controls for the X and Y turrets and watched the gun cameras as two bright yellow-white laser beams noiselessly fired out, blinding the camera.

 **USSS** _ **William D. Porter**_

"We've been struck by two heavy laser batteries and railgun fire!" The damage control officer of the _Porter_ called out. "Effective hull damage, we're going to lose the ship, that was right through our center line."

"You got our ship holed but you got your torpedoes off." Kent growled at Sonic. "May I at least have my crew get off this damn hulk?" The hedgehog watched the torpedo cameras as the _Warspite_ 's point defense systems rendered some of them to static, indicating the point defense killed them before they could reach their targets. There were enough in the salvo though.

"Permission granted." Sonic said as Kent stepped back.

"Let's get out of here. We'll get another ship and we're going to make that metal bastard pay." Kent yelled. He looked back at the hedgehog as Sonic turned to face him. Once he was certain he had a good spread, the hedgehog opened fire with the AA-12 on automatic, cutting Kent and the bridge crew off. With the bridge silent now and his objective seemingly achieved, Sonic finally stepped forward, moving to disembark from the dying, unlucky but useful _Porter_.

 **KRSS** _ **Warspite**_

"Point defense got 70% of the spread." Percival reported. Concha moved back to his seat and picked up his handmic.

"All hands prepare for collision alert. Damage control parties prepare to muster out." The human said, forcing himself to be calm. "Bring up the aft cameras, starboard side."

Two torpedoes were approaching, barely visible. While the ship began to move forward at quarter speed, the farthest to the left seemed as if it was going to miss but instead detonated at proximity, the second hitting the ship on the aft side. The ship shuddered, and Concha looked up at the damage control boards on the ship's main viewscreen. Outer hull breaches and cracks along the torpedo bulge and armor belt and propulsion was knocked out, but they'd be getting back into the yard anyways. If they could override the controls for the outer doors, they'd gain literal breathing room, otherwise repairs could still be made in suits. The only other concern was if another ship like the _Porter_ would try the same tactic.

 **United States Department of Defense Headquarters**

 **Washington, DC, United States**

Operation Blackout was hastily put into practice after the report from the United States Space Navy that Pacific Command had received the malware that was crippling their ships and satellites. Lockdown procedures were put into effect as the affected computer systems were being separated from their networks and replaced with the last generation's systems. Defense Secretary Scott Campbell's decision to have all prior generation systems held in reserve rather than to be sold in private was probably one of the best decisions he ever made. Of course, to guard the United States against cyberwarfare, it was best to have someone that knew about it. After several years in the Air Force, Campbell retired but stayed active, happy with making beer while keeping up on the changes in technology. When he became Secretary of Defense with the incoming administration that won in 2112, ten years on the outside made it hard for contractors to sink their teeth in.

For safety purposes, Blackout was going to be rolled out not just in the USSN but with every installation, even at the Pentagon. With the relative state of things, no one was likely to take a swipe at Uncle Sam because of the overall cooperation between nations but also because they had a common enemy. It also helped to have one of the largest manpower reserves in the United States. Under the guidance of communication-graded NCOs and officers, everyone that could load a dolly and lift a system in would do so and even wire them up. Especially when Campbell decided to wave a double hazard pay bonus in front of them, the grunts would get their date with the Acornians soon enough, but they'd appreciate the extra beer money. It was likely that the other defense chiefs of the UN member nations were following suit in preparation for a counter-attack.

Still the message that Metal Sonic Mark V delivered along with his attack hung in his mind. An Acornian robot managed to get aboard the USSS _William D. Porter_ while it was crippled, destroyed four ships and wreaked havoc on the ARK itself. What had to be going through the minds of the people still on the station? Plus, there was the threat made against a counter-attack. Would the other ships be forced to make the same kind of attacks, perhaps at one's whim rather than by direct command? They had to consider the situation very carefully and assess their options. Satellite systems would also have to be replaced, but fortunately Operation Restoration would take care of that problem. GPS systems were critical and design archives had been rapidly consulted to resurrect the original satellite network. While the original satellites had long burned in after piecemeal replacement, 3D printed circuit boards and the installation of hardened firmware would do to prevent an infection of their systems. Unless their enemy got wise and started to utilize the orbiting warships against them, unmanned rockets with drones would do for deployment.

There was still the question as to how to shake off the malware from the remaining ships and how to take the ARK back. Demands still had not been made and there was no way of obtaining any intelligence. The ARK was a giant black box that Campbell and the combined scrutiny of the United States defense and intelligence apparatuses could not look into, for now at least. All they had was the boogeyman that was the metal blue hedgehog that had spoken to them. He was reminded of one of Sun Tzu's sayings; _if you know your enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles but if you know yourself and not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat._

They knew themselves but not their enemy. They had in fact suffered defeat as a result of it. Who had a robot fashioned like a Keplerian hedgehog? Campbell opened his old-fashioned Rolodex and thumbed up to the B tab where cards of certain people from the defense and intelligence communities sat. He stopped at one name and then picked up his phone, dialing the number there. After a few moments of ringing, a hoarse Scottish brogue could be heard rumbling.

"Blackheart," The answerer said.

"Horace," Campbell leaned back. "Scott Campbell."

"Yeah, I could tell from caller ID. What did you want?" Blackheart asked.

"I was wondering if you could lend an old friend some information from when you worked at Division K." Scott sad.

"Officially you'd have to clear it with Six because I'm bound-" Blackheart started, causing Campbell to roll his eyes upwards.

"By the Official Secrets Act, I know. I also know that you've been watching BBC, CNN and god knows what else. My next call is going to be to Haviland and then to Andrews Air Force Base. There's going to be a plane waiting for you at Fort Wainwright. I expect you to be on that plane as soon as possible." Campbell said.

"Can I at least finish my beer?" Blackheart grumbled.

"Horace, you can bring all the beer you want, so long as you're sober enough to talk face to face." Campbell declared.

"Go call Haviland." Blackheart said. "I'll be on your sodding plane."

"Thanks Horace. I'll send Haviland my regards." Campbell said. With that, the line clicked dead and he put it back on its hook because dialing another number that he knew by memory, staring at the clock. Odds were that Sir Haviland Antiel, the Director-General of MI6 was going to be just as busy as he was now. Antiel started in the Royal Air Force and the two had a mutual understanding, he was certain that he would greenlight Blackheart giving him information from Division K, MI6's desk for Keplerian/Acornian foreign intelligence concerns. Officially MI6 did not spy on the Keplerian Republic, nor did the CIA but they did spy on the Acornians whenever they could get a human in. They had better luck hooking Acornian spies and turning them around to work for them. Perhaps Markus Frieburg over at the BND might have some insight as well. Campbell leaned back in his seat, reaching into his jacket to pull a cigarette out from the pack resting in the inner pocket, clenching it in his teeth while searching for his lighter. To Hell with DoD smoking regulations for now.


	24. Chapter 23: Red King Threatens Queen

**Chapter 23**

 **Space Station ARK**

The ARK shook from the impact of the _Porter_ 's torpedo detonations. Maria looked over at Janus, then Miles. The robot tilted his camera to the side, mimicking how he would have done with his head. He wheeled over to the nearest viewport, staring out at the explosions that they could see. Drawing from memory, he recognized the falling silhouettes. Two British destroyers, one American cruiser and one German battleship, the crash sites were going to be nasty, assuming they didn't end up hitting the ocean which would be the best-case scenario. Fortunately, with all the safety focuses, the fusion reactors would likely be SCRAMed. Even with the torpedo hits and re-entry, they were made of tough materials. There was a good chance for some crew survivability.

He chafed against his forced EMCON state, knowing that the instance that he tried to connect to the _Warspite_ , he might end up a vessel for whatever malware that had tanked the other security robots. Worse, he might even end up turning the squad automatic on Maria and Janus. He turned his camera over to look at the mouse, curious about one aspect. If Rotarl was in fact a machine, why didn't she tangle with the hedgehog herself? Why wasn't she infected? Or was she an Acornian trojan horse? If that were so, what was with the long game? Wouldn't it have been easier to pull something on the _Warspite_ to make it combat ineffective? No, he felt he had to trust the mouse.

"Take that thing's head." Miles said out loud through his speakers. Maria looked down at the destroyed robot's separated head and reached for it, staring at it. The design looked like something Ovi would have made. To think that her cousin was being held prisoner by the Acornians or possibly dead. He would have rather died than to see his work used against his wishes and ethos. What secrets were buried in this robot's code? What had it seen? Perhaps glimpses of its maker at one point? Then again, she was a side of the same coin with Miles. Subverting the purpose of the security drone to keep him 'alive'.

Physically Miles was dead though, his body's state met the clinical requirements for death. What would she end up doing if they got out of this? Bury or burn his body, or attempt some unorthodox procedure to merge the electronic consciousness in the MAARS with it? They didn't have the time to even put his body on ice. Who knew how much time would pass before they could even get to recover it? What did that make the one in the MAARS? A continuation of the same person, a successful transference? Or was it just a copy just trying its best to be Miles Locksley Prower? Bioethics classes at Lund did not prepare her for this.

"How close are we to the yard?" Maria asked to break herself out from that line of thought.

"Another level up but there's going to be a complication." Miles answered.

"What do you mean by a complication?" Maria asked.

"Well we obviously can't take an elevator with those locked down. There's no bloody way I'm going to be able to climb a ladder." Miles explained. "Someone's going to have to carry me on the stairs."

"That would be me." Janus said, staring at the robot's camera. "I see his point, it's going to be tactically dangerous. No one's going to have ready access to a weapon, unless I point Miles at them."

"I hope you won't have to do that. No offense meant, Lieutenant but I don't need someone attempting to correct my aim." Miles quipped.

Janus was about to say something when another shudder could be felt throughout the deck, causing Miles to rotate his camera in the direction that they had come from. Then he looked back at the two women, the camera cocked in its 'confusion' state. He even managed to open his manipulators.

"That couldn't have been a torpedo detonation. Those hits were on this ring, but we never lost atmosphere." He observed.

"Blast doors could have locked down the breaches leading to us." Janus reasoned. Then her ears perked up as she heard and felt familiar motion coming in that same direction. Instinctively she reached down to grab the MAARS but Miles spun his tracks forward, causing her to yelp with a low snarl. "What the hell did you do that for?"

"You and I came to the same conclusion, something's coming after us." Miles said, turning his camera forward. "Considering the variables, you are more mobile and thus you have the better chance of survivability by taking Maria with you to the _Warspite_."

"Not again." Janus growled, leaning in to grab at him. The only thing that prevented her from fully outmaneuvering him was the quad-launcher that he pointed at her. He kept his camera forward, pointed towards the approaching intruder.

"Either leave with her or I'll cut you down here and now for disobeying a direct order." The fox's voice became deadly calm. "I'm still lawfully your senior officer by position in the chain of command and seniority."

"That might be debatable, given you're a corpse." Janus said softly. "I'm not going to let you sacrifice yourself again."

"That's where you're wrong. I might have gotten an hour or two of extra life but you know I'm tactically correct." He slowly turned the camera to look at Maria.

"What is it?" Maria asked, staring at the camera. Then she could hear a creaking of metal that was dangerously close.

"He's back." Miles declared. "Now _go_. I intend to make it back to you but if I don't, thank you for at least giving me this extra time. If this is indeed my final life, I'll at least go out protecting you, because that's what I swore to do. Not just as an officer but because I loved you, Maria. _Go_."

Janus swallowed and stepped back away from him while putting herself behind Maria. "He's dead set on it. We have to go. Especially if he's going to use any heavy ordinance."

The creaking intensified in volume as Metal Sonic appeared through the breach that he made in the blast door that obstructed him. He looked past the MAARS and focused on Maria, starting to sprint forward. Miles swiveled the quad-mounts to face the hedgehog and pointed the barrel of the squad automatic at him, causing Metal to pause. He recognized this unit; it was the one that he saw earlier when he had killed Miles. But its motions were all wrong; more like a person was operating it. Not externally, but within.

"Rumors of my death were grossly exaggerated." Miles snapped. "And I brought something a bit bigger than a Webley." He began to open fire with M993, the hedgehog darting from left to right in response. Normally the tracking program that came stock with the MAARS would have had response latency giving Metal Sonic some latitude. But the integration between Miles and the robot had reduced that latency significantly. The first opening bursts missed but he corrected. The M993 AP did well against the likes of the robot pawn that he downed earlier and had some effect on Metal Sonic but he had tougher armor. Movement also made it harder to achieve good kinetic penetration. He wheeled back as quickly as he could and fired off a 40mm high explosive grenade.

The grenade was short-fused and caught Metal Sonic by surprise, tossing him to lie prone on his side but he recovered quickly while Miles unloaded more armor-piercing rounds on him, striking him right in the faceplate, cracks forming at his eyes. His eyes began to flicker from red to green as he stared at the MAARS. A vision of a small fox interposed on the robot. Then everything abruptly turned black as his eyes completely blanked out. Miles continued to unload the entire belt of M993 on the hedgehog, steam rising from the barrel. He slowly rolled forward towards it, staring at the pockmarked blue armor.

Metal Sonic's eyes faded back in to green momentarily as a hollow cough could be heard.

"T-Tails?" The hedgehog's voice was devoid of modulation.

"In the flesh." Miles said quietly, as a thought came to mind. "You said earlier you were my friend. Was that true?"

"My best friend." Metal Sonic said, his voice starting to garble.

"I never knew you." Miles mused quietly. "Friend or enemy until today. Why did you come after us?"

"You're a soldier, like your father. So, you know what it's like to have orders." The hedgehog warbled.

"I could see myself as a valid target but why _her_? Maria's not a combatant. You would kill civilians? You're nothing like me; you're not a soldier. You're a terrorist and certainly not a friend, not _my_ friend. But I'm going to at least do you one small favor." Miles declared, rolling backwards.

"You're going to finish me off?" The hedgehog started to turn his head to look at him.

"You're damned right." Miles growled lowly as he primed to fire another 40mm grenade. As he fired, the hedgehog's eyes started to turn full red as he suddenly launched himself at the robot, catching the grenade and then threw it back at Miles. The impact of the hit, combined with the explosion sent him sailing down the corridor, but also knocked Metal Sonic onto his back, limbs twitching before falling limp.

Maria and Janus came to a stop as they heard the loud crash and several smaller explosions as the ammunition magazine went off, separated from the squad-automatic and the quad-launcher. Pieces of the manipulator arms, camera and other circuitry were scattered around. Maria scrambled towards the main drive chassis, while Janus grabbed for her. The distressed woman shoved her back into the mouse as she struggled, dropping the pawn's head while getting down on her knees. She searched for the hatch that allowed chip extraction and yelped from the residual heat. Then she reached back in, biting down hard while pulling the hatch open, gripping the chip with her bare hands rather than the fine precision of the extraction tool she used earlier.

Janus watched as Maria sat down on the floor, holding the chip close to her body, rocking slowly while staring at the wreckage. Then she started to stand up, putting the chip into her labjacket's pocket before moving to a nearby firefighting locker, pulling out the axe. Hefting it with both hands, Maria advanced on the hedgehog and lifted the axe up, bringing it down haphazardly against his chest. The motion caused the axe to vibrate as it bounced off. With a frenzied snarl, Maria lifted it up again and slammed it down hard into the faceplate. Then to her horror, she saw something that she did not expect, a green organic eye surrounded by brain tissue and circuitry that was bisected by the axe. Panting hard, she was readying to lift the axe up again when it was suddenly yanked out of her hands. Janus held the axe and tossed it one-handed.

"That's enough!" Janus thundered. "I'm still getting a good reading from the chip. We're getting out of here." For a moment, the mouse froze as she saw Maria's hands ball up. The angry Swedish woman's face turned red as she looked down at the hedgehog.

"Your creator won't be as lucky as you were." Maria hissed. "I don't care what it takes, I don't care how much money I have to spend to do it, I'm getting Miles back and I'm going to ensure that he's fully capable of killing each one of you. That's the second time you've taken him from me! And this time it's going to be the last!"

"Maria! He's still in the chip! We need to use the time we've got to get out of here!" Janus clamped her hands on the human's shoulders. Maria took a step back into the mouse, getting her breathing under control. Then she slowly relaxed her hands and reached into her labjacket's pocket, gingerly feeling the chip before looking the mouse in the eye.

"What are we going to do then when we get to the ship?" Maria asked quietly.

"Well we'll be able to make it to Earth that way." Janus answered. "We have the chip, so perhaps Zenith Defense will be able to make use of it in some way."

"He'll never be the same." Maria lamented. "Why did they do this to him?" She looked over at the ruined MAARS and shook her head, stepping over to it, kneeling to pick up the camera mount. "I'm so sorry Miles."

 **Main Concourse**

"I'm feeling much better now." King Frederick said hoarsely as he felt the dressing on his throat wound, nodding to the Acornian medic that had treated him. The elderly king had an IV tree next to him, a bag of blood along with a bag of saline running into him. He stayed up on the upper concourse, looking down at his prisoners. No sense in letting them see that he had been injured. Somewhere among them, Geralt Robotnik would likely be sitting there, distraught. Soon they would have his treasured granddaughter, dead or alive. In the meantime, alternate options had to be brought to bear to break through into the Chaos Reactor. Its security systems were not only based on the keycards, but also an isolated computer network that was not connected to the rest. He heard nearby footsteps and then a small cough. Turning his head, he noticed Geoffery St. John, the head of his Royal Secret Service.

"I hope you're bringing me good news." Frederick rumbled.

"Which would you like first, the good news or the bad?" The skunk asked. That made Frederick freeze.

"The good news of course!" Frederick spat, flexing the fingers of his left hand.

"Your champion has managed to take over an American destroyer and used it to destroy four other ships and potentially infected the American defense network as well. He also killed Lieutenant Miles Prower. But-" St. John paused.

"But? Spit it out!" Frederick snapped.

"The champion has been heavily damaged, rendered inoperative apparently by a security robot. Our benefactor wishes that we recover him for reconstitution." St. John said. "The champion failed to get the professor's granddaughter. He was rather displeased to say the least."

"Attend to it personally then. Take one of our transports so that he may put his favorite toy back together again." Frederick said. "Has he any new insights on breaching the reactor's security?"

"That was the other point, sir. He is coming directly to take care of both problems." St. John reported.

"How bold of him to show his face and to march in here. Which ship are we to expect then?" Frederick asked.

"The carrier, sir. He intends to remove the _Warspite_ from its position. That's three problems soon out of the way." St. John said. Frederick smirked and balled his left hand into a fist, bringing it into the air above his head. "Working with him has been rather profitable. Perhaps once my champion has been reconstituted we could do him a service, a little family reunion. Take Professor Robotnik under arms."

 **KRSS** _ **Warspite**_

"Excuse me, Captain?" Lieutenant Commander Thompson called out on the bridge.

"Yes, what is it MJ?" Concha asked, looking at the hedgehog.

"Sir, there's two people requesting permission to board. It's Lieutenant Rotarl and Dr. Maria Robotnik." Thompson advised.

"Ah Rotarl made it at least. Very good. They have permission to board of course." Concha said, leaning back in his seat. One small gain at least.

"The lieutenant and the doctor both wanted to see you." Thompson said. Concha turned his chair to face her and nodded.

"This is Operations," Thompson lowered her mic boom. "Lieutenant Rotarl and Dr. Robotnik are cleared to approach the bridge. Send them up straightaway please."

Captain Concha rose up from his seat and walked out into the conference room where he had talked to Bolton earlier. He looked over at the tea service that was placed there by a steward not long ago and picked up three cups, setting them down on saucers before pouring tea from the pot. He waited, picking up his cup and drained it slowly, reflecting before refilling it. Once he heard the door open, Concha turned and faced the mouse and the human. Rotarl straightened up her stance and saluted, which Concha returned.

"Welcome back Lieutenant. Doctor Robotnik, I wish this visit was under better circumstances." Concha said. "Please sit down." He took his saucer and sat across from them, letting out a small sigh. Maria looked at Janus before sitting to the mouse's right. The stress of the day's events could be seen on everyone's face. Rotarl was about to speak when Concha held his right hand up. "Have your tea first."

"Sir-" Janus was about to insist but the look Concha gave her suggested not to push the issue. The two women picked up their cups and slowly sipped. They looked at each other, deliberately taking their time. The captain in his own way was letting them calm their nerves and the tea certainly helped. That meant he was bracing them for something. Once their cups were emptied, there was almost a simultaneous _clink_

"Now then." Captain Concha opened. "Doctor, I understand that you were Lieutenant Prower's lady. On behalf of the Service, I must express my deepest regrets to you. We saw what he did from his boarding camera and I want you to know that I've promoted him posthumously to Lieutenant Commander and put him in for the Victoria Cross. While you were not married, I will make a case for ensuring that you receive survivor's benefits."

"That is appreciated, Captain but I will not need survivor benefits. I'm certain Miles would be happy to know about his promotion, if it remains in place." Maria said quietly.

"Would be. I-" Concha set his hand against his chin in confusion.

"That's what I was about to tell you about, sir. Lieutenant Prower is not dead." Janus said.

"Well he's not with you though and his vitals went flat on our monitors." Concha tilted his head. "Where is he then? No one else has seen him."

"He's right here." Maria reached down and produced the cortical stack chip. Captain Concha's eyes widened as he stared at it.

"I have no idea what that is. You're saying the lieutenant commander is in _that_?" Concha blinked and reached forward. "May I?"

"Please be careful with it, it's the only one that we have. This is a cortical stack backup chip." Janus cautioned. "Manufactured by Zenith Defense Industries and installed in Lieutenant Commander Prower several years ago. It's meant to store his consciousness electronically in case his body died. It has seen some abuse, he had to take over a security robot which was heavily damaged. But between him and Dr. Robotnik, I'm happy to advise that his assailant, the one that managed to cripple or kill some of our boarders and the security teams on the station, is down."

"It was strange," Maria interjected. "A robot fashioned like a Keplerian hedgehog, but the proportions were all wrong. Blue armor, very fast and I think it was more of a cyborg than anything. But there was something else that you should know about. Do you recall the incident that led Miles to transferring to the _Warspite_?"

"I do, he commanded the repair tender _I.K. Brunel_ and tried to rescue your cousin from a shuttle accident." Concha said, handing the chip back to her before leaning back in his seat. He began to refill everyone's cups. "Your cousin was presumed dead, but Miles was not negligent. Beat himself up over it rather badly."

"I have it on good authority that my cousin may not be dead. In fact, he might be held captive by the Acornians. We brought the remains of another robot which Commander Rose took up from us. That robot had the stamps for Eggbot Corporation." Maria explained. "Commander Rose agreed to have Miles' understudy look at it."

"Ah, Sub-Lieutenant Rotor, his Assistant IWO." Concha nodded. "So, your cousin may be alive and in captivity. That might explain where these robots were coming from. I'll make sure to pass that along to Naval Intelligence once we get the opportunity."

"I'd also like to make a request, Captain." Janus spoke up. "With your permission I'd like to take the Swordfish down to Earth. If we take the chip to Zenith Defense, we can likely bring Lieutenant Commander Prower back online."

"Make it so." Concha started to rise when the red battle lighting turned on. A klaxon sounded as a male voice spoke out on the PA system.

"Action stations! Action stations! All hands man your action stations!" The PA system called out.

"Another attack?" Concha bolted around the table. "I have to get back on the bridge. Rotarl, you need to go to your action station for now at Fire Control."

"Yes sir!" Janus rose up and stepped out after him while Maria turned.

"You can come onto the bridge with me." Concha said. Maria nodded and followed him, hooking to the right after going out the door.

"What's our contact?" Concha asked as soon as he stepped back onto the bridge.

"I have no idea, sir. It just appeared through the Warp Gate. A rather large signature, it's not anything that we have on record." Percival reported. "Whatever it is, it's armed, and it doesn't look like any Acornian design. It looks like a carrier. But it's not anything recognized."

"I'm not aware of us having a carrier prototype either." Concha said.

"There's an incoming communications attempt but EMCON prevents us from answering." Lieutenant Fields advised. "Shall I release EMCON?"

"Only the audio/visual systems, Lieutenant. No data links." Concha said. He looked up at the overhead camera that was pointing at his seat. The viewscreen began to shift, revealing a similar bridge that was manned by robots that resembled the pawns and under similar red battle lighting. Only the person at the foreground of the screen sitting in a command chair like Concha's was human.

"This is Captain Carlos Concha of the Keplerian battleship _Warspite_." Concha said, clenching his fingers onto the armrests. "Who am I addressing?"

The man seemed to look away from him and took notice of Maria. His eyebrows burrowed as he reached up to adjust his round framed glasses. There was something familiar to the man, he almost looked like her grandfather but larger. His mustache was also larger and brown and the outfit that he wore was grandiose, looking like it belonged to a German cavalry officer but red, white and yellow in its design.

"This is Dr. Ivo Robotnik of the Eggman Empire." The man growled. "And I expect and demand that you surrender your ship, or I will destroy it, with every one of you on board. Yes, even _you cousin_."

"Ovi?" Maria blinked, now finally recognizing the voice and the face, though it was bald save for the mustache.

"Sir!" Fields raised her voice with alarm. "Something's breaking through the connection, it seems like it's the same malware that's got the other ships!"

"Put EMCON into effect!" Concha called out.

"Controls are not responding!" Fields replied. Concha got up to his feet and Maria stood beside him, the blood in her body starting to run cold as Robotnik slapped his right armrest and cackled, his laughter echoing throughout the ship on the public address.


	25. Chapter 24: The Wrath Of Ghosts

**Chapter 24**

"Systems readiness report." Captain Concha called out. "Helm."

"Inoperative." The helm officer reported.

"Weapons." Concha continued down the line.

"Online but not answering to control orders." Percival said.

"Communications." Concha looked at Fields.

"Inoperative." Fields looked over at the Keplerian walrus that was sitting where Miles would have.

"Information Warfare is also inoperative." Rotor said, looking over at Concha.

"Operations." Concha glanced at Thompson.

"Life support systems are still operating as far as what I can tell but I don't have control of sensors or other systems." Thompson answered.

"Power and propulsion." Concha said. Thompson looked down at her panel.

"We obviously have power, but propulsion-" Thompson answered, then caught a subtle glance from Concha. "Propulsion was still damaged from Commander Rose's last report."

"So, you have our ship electronically, but it won't move." Concha said.

"That won't be too much of a problem." Robotnik said, crossing his arms. "Provided your Commander Rose brings the systems back online. I might be charitable to release enough control to allow that."

"What if I order her to stop all work then? What would you do then?" Concha looked back at the viewscreen.

"Then I suppose I would have to board your ship and force the issue." Robotnik countered. "The ship is mine regardless. Whether it's with you all alive or dead, it makes no difference to me."

"Captain." Maria turned to look at Concha. "Let me speak to him."

"I suppose it wouldn't harm anything." Concha stepped off to the side to allow Maria to take his position. Robotnik pulled at his mustache and grimaced.

"Are you going to plead for their lives, cousin?" Robotnik's tone sounded as if he ate something unpleasant.

"Are you responsible for all of this then? The attack on the ARK? The control over my patients? The attack on these ships? Miles' _death_?" Maria asked, anger looming in her voice. "Working with the _Acornians_? I thought you were dead until we found one of your robots. We thought you might have been taken hostage. Of all the things that happened today, the worst day of my life, you engineered it? Why?"

"Oh, if only you saw what I did. There's more than just our little universe out there, cousin. I saw it, a world like our own but unlike it as well. Run by small men, untrustworthy men. If you think I'm bad, then consider this. You and Grandfather lived where I was for these many years. They murdered you and locked him away. They prosecuted a war against creatures like those that sit among you. I upended all of it, I was going to be a revolutionary. I was going to give them _peace_ and _stability_. At first, I thought they could govern themselves, but I realized I was wrong about that. You know well from our history that it sometimes takes one man's will to make great changes. I made changes there on Mobius. I had to break a few eggs in the process, as well as some heads." Robotnik uttered a soft chuckle.

"You're insane." Maria clenched her hands into fists. "Even after all of what you've done, had you told me the same things here, I would have wanted to have you come home so that we could take care of you. But you did the one thing that has turned you from being my family to a foul, bloated _slug_."

"And what was it I did? Hm?" Robotnik leaned forward, the camera zooming in on him as he leered.

"You murdered the one man that loved me and treated you like a _brother_! He thought he got you killed. He thought it was his mistake that killed you. I saw him fall apart with the guilt. I had to watch him withdraw into himself and lose interest in what he liked. His one regret was that he didn't take your offer and leave the Navy earlier. Miles thought he could have prevented the accident if he was with you!" Maria screamed. "You had everything with us. You obviously found your way home. But instead you squandered your intelligence to try to become something above us. You're only human, Doctor. You make mistakes, and you made a great one. Someone was a step ahead of you because while Miles might be dead in body, he's still _alive_. Hans spöke blir mitt vapen!" Maria's body trembled.

"You-" Robotnik leaned back and started to laugh, throwing his head up. "You say _I_ am the delusional one? You, the rational Dr. Maria Robotnik, the surgeon who doesn't believe in God, let alone ghosts, say that you're going to use _his_ ghost against _me_?"

"You may have me caged here, but one thing is clear. I was always the smarter one of us, cousin and I'm among equals here. We are going to get out of this and Miles himself will come back. If you think my wrath is something to behold, wait until he gets his hands on you, du förrädiska prata ägg!" Maria snapped before turning on her heel, unable to bear looking at him any longer. "I request permission to leave the bridge, Captain."

"Permission granted, but where are you going?" Concha asked.

Maria started to stride off before giving him one last look. "I'm going to try my hand at necromancy."

 **Main Fire Control** , **KRSS** _ **Warspite**_

Janus was staring at the locked-out fire control systems, tempted to interface with them to restore them to function while at the same time considering the risk of such an interface to be too costly to do. So, it was a surprise to hear Maria's footsteps approaching her from behind. The mouse turned and looked at her.

"I heard what you said on the bridge, everyone did. It was all over the PA system." Rotarl said, smiling wanly. "Remind me never to piss you off."

"We have work to do Lieutenant." Maria said, pulling the chip out carefully. "This looks like a standard socket, does it not?"

"It does," The anthroid looked her in the eye. "You're thinking about interfacing Miles with the ship. I don't know if that would be a good idea, we don't know how complex this malware is. We might give him another body with the ship's computer, but it'd be like giving him rabies on top of it."

"I don't want to stop at just the ship's computer. I want Miles to run the _ship_." Maria said. "We don't know how complex the malware is, but we also don't know how complex Miles is."

"I have to admit you are correct in those regards." Janus said. "He lives and breathes in information warfare. I suppose he might be able to apply those concepts. In a way he's an AI."

"While the malware is just a program or many programs. I haven't seen any sign of sentience when we were on the ARK." Maria said.

"We'll probably have to run it by the captain." Janus positioned.

"He's staying on the bridge and I don't want the enemy listening." Maria argued. "This is one of these times where we have to take the initiative and ask for forgiveness later."

"Well the good thing is fire control's one of the best protected places on the ship." Janus said, holding her hand out. "Let's do it." Maria carefully held the chip out, dropping it into her hand. The mouse looked down at her control station and found the correct slot. "Everything still has power so the slot's going to be hot. If it's like the MAARS, he'll autoload." She inserted the chip and looked at the screens, when suddenly the monitors went blank.

 _ **Warspite**_ **Datascape**

This time instead of a large white space, there was empty darkness at first. Then slowly Earth and the yard came into view with the vast Egg Carrier behind him. Confusion formed on the fox's face as he stood there before it. There was a feeling of lethargy, then sudden heat as if a fever was overtaking him. He looked down and saw what appeared to be his standard gunbelt but there were two extra guns holstered, one on each side.

There was considerably more processing power here than there was at the MAARS, but there were also additional responsibilities to undertake. Images from the security system appeared directly in front of him. The realization began to dawn on him as he unholstered one of the guns, it looked more like an automatic compared to his revolver. Upon picking it up, there was immediate understanding of what it was. It was the control for the rear laser turret, the one beside it that was holstered was the rear railgun turret. If he was going to make best use of things, the ship had to move.

Miles carefully took a step backwards in the void, took a deep breath and switched the laser to his left hand before taking up his trustworthy Webley, then took another step back. The yard started to pull away from him as he began to clear it and then he slowly sidestepped, presenting the battleship's full broadside to the Egg Carrier. The fox took aim and held his breath, fingers taut on the triggers before he squeezed them and then quickly forced them down into their holsters, quickdrawing the other two and firing again.

 _ **Warspite**_ **Bridge**

"Sir, all systems appear to be restarting!" Thompson called out. Concha looked forward as the blood in Robotnik's face seemed to drain out, making him look pale.

"Systems status!" Concha called out.

"Helm seems to be back online but it's moving on its own. I can't control it but I'm at least getting live readings now!" The helm officer said.

"There was a weapons readiness check and the rear turrets are starting to assign targets." Percival reported.

"I have Information Warfare completely online." Rotor said, gaping at his screen. "Sir! The malware has been _purged_."

"Purged?" Concha rose up to his feet as Robotnik began to sit up. "Good work Rotor!"

"Sir, I-respectfully, I didn't do anything!" Rotor murmured.

"Propulsion's online, we're going full engines astern!" Thompson reported.

"Helm's shifting rudder left, the bow is pointing towards Earth." The helm officer said.

"Weapons have a lock on the enemy ship!" Percival said, with incredulity. The viewscreen cut away to an image from the fire control cameras as four bright laser beams lit up, cutting into the hull of the Egg Carrier, followed by four large 381mm kinetic projectiles.

"Pardon the interruption." A familiar voice could be heard on the PA system and suddenly a new image replaced the gun cameras as Miles' face appeared on screen. Concha took his glasses off and gaped before putting them back on.

"Lieutenant Commander? Is that you?" Concha asked.

"Lieutenant-er Lieutenant Commander Miles Prower of Information Warfare department, manning the central computer, sir!" Miles answered. He even managed a small salute. "I fully accept the consequences that may come from that my fighting of the ship, and the technical usurpation of your command."

"Usurpation? No! By all means! It was an emergency and you exercised rather unorthodox but timely initiative." Concha said.

"Well, Maria's the one that exercised initiative." Miles said. "Hang on, the enemy's firing." He switched to the gun camera as bright yellow-white 'bullets' of laser fire started to come from the Egg Carrier, as well as small drones, also firing. Point defense systems started to turn on the drones, adding their own projectiles into the fray as the fox fired another full broadside. The Egg Carrier's armor plating started to give way under the assault while another incoming communication began to manifest but Miles instead diverted it to himself.

"You!" Robotnik was standing up, hands shaking as he took in the visage of the fox's face. "You're dead! I saw your body through Sonic's eyes."

"I think you should have chosen your predators wisely, Ovi. The fox is the natural predator of the hedgehog." Miles countered before firing another broadside. The Egg Carrier seemed to shake around Robotnik as he activated his personal controls, swinging the ship around towards the Warp Gate. The broadside seemed to knock weapon mounts off from the ship, cutting more ugly holes into it. Miles zoomed in, watching debris and robots sailing out from it. The Egg Carrier charged forward at full speed into the portal and disappeared.

 _ **Warspite**_ **Datascape**

Miles watched the craft disappear, tempted to pursue but at the same time he didn't know what might be waiting on the other side. Instead he glanced around, putting the guns back into their holsters. Making connections to the other allied ships, to an outside observer it looked almost as if he was uncoiling all sorts of unsavory creatures from the other ships. Slowly, one by one those that were adrift began to correct course, outer lights turning back online. He started to take the _Warspite_ in around in orbit, connecting to the satellites that were also downed, removing the malware from every one of them before bringing the ship to a halt over the continental United States.

 _ **Warspite Bridge**_

"Captain, the ship is yours again, but I have to leave the ship." Miles said. "I've brought allied assets back online. I figure you will all want to take up the chase."

"The first thing we should probably do is coordinate and then get orders." Concha said. "Why do you have to leave?"

"New orders," Miles explained. "Lieutenant Rotarl, please unslot me and have the Swordfish prepared with Dr. Robotnik ready to meet me."

"Very well then." Concha said, sighing as he relaxed in his seat. "I hope your errand doesn't take too long, I think you're due some much needed payback."

"That's actually the point. As nice as the _Warspite_ is sir, I need a body." Miles explained.

"That you do. Thank you, Lieutenant Commander." Concha said, rendering him a salute before the screen returned to normal.


	26. Chapter 25: The Return of Miles Prower

**Chapter 25**

 **Zenith Defense Industries**

 **Nevada Desert, United States**

 **(Near Flagstaff Mountain)**

Rotarl had been able to take the _Warspite_ 's Swordfish down into orbit with little trouble, though she was full of apprehension the entire time, expecting another attack. But as she got closer to ground, a calm set in as she seemed to switch 'off', retreating and replaced by carefully programmed orders for approach. The Swordfish was a combination fighter/bomber and it had room for two, the pilot and intercept officer. However, patrol pickets by grateful allied ships made the likelihood of an attack less and less so. When this was all over, there was no way anyone on the _Warspite_ would be able to buy a beer at any military club.

Once the Swordfish had landed on the hangar strip near the facility, Maria took notice of a sign that showed ZDI's tri-hexagon logo. 'Welcome to Zenith Defense Industries Wildfire Facility'.

"Wildfire, that's a rather strange name." Maria said as the canopy opened and the mouse started to climb out from the automatic ladder than unfolded. She began to dismount as well carefully, Miles' chip pressed against her body as she wore a full flight suit like Rotarl's.

"It was a US government facility that was made in the 1960s in response to potential biodefense concerns from the space program." Janus explained, dusting herself off. "But the military's efforts and cuts in the space program made it obsolete so the facility was sitting there unused. Originally there was a USDA agricultural annex here that covered the main entrance but when Dr. Everest purchased the ground and the facility, he just put a standard shell over it. Tore out all the equipment and put in a little museum on the ground. This is usually where you'll find him, all of his pet projects are here."

They walked across the strip to an electric cart that had a protective tarp over it. Janus tore it off and patted the seat before starting it. Maria sat down and looked around while Rotarl drove down the strip and onto a side road that would lead to the facility's front entrance, pulling it to a stop near a charging station. They dismounted again and entered through the automatic sliding doors that featured the company logo on the panels. To their surprise, Everest himself seemed to be waiting for them.

"I was waiting for you ever since the chip was activated." Everest said. The fox placed a hand on Rotarl's shoulder. "Let's go ahead and have you down for a check-in. In the meantime, Dr. Robotnik let me show you what I've had prepared for the good lieutenant."

"Lieutenant Commander now actually." Maria corrected gently. The fox nodded and adjusted his glasses. "My apologies." He began to lead her to the main elevator while Janus started to go into another elevator. Maria unzipped her flight suit partially and removed the chip from an inner pocket, having left her labjacket behind on the _Warspite_. She held it up and Everest took the chip, adjusting his glasses again to look at it.

"It's still in relatively good condition. I've had a body on standby for Miles since the chip was installed." Moddex explained as the elevator traveled down. "Completely functional with some differences, he will be fully robotic but there will be organics so that he can integrate with the expected sensory systems. He will look the same as you know him, just a bit taller. It will make him more intimidating towards the enemy. There is also a loadout of powered armor and personal weaponry."

"You've been preparing for this for three years?" Maria asked, tilting her head.

"In a manner of speaking." Moddex answered, staring at her with his ears raising.

"Why?" Her next question had been expected as Everest looked away from her.

"It's a bit complicated and delves into things that I must keep to myself. Suffice to say, it's very important that we get him back on his feet." Moddex said evasively. "Even then, you profit from this arrangement because you get him back for yourself."

"I profit yes, but the cost of all of this runs into millions of dollars." Maria countered softly. "I'm asking what the price is."

"Price is no object here." Moddex said, looking down at the chip. "If I gain anything of it, it's more time."

"More time for what?" Maria blinked.

"All of us, I don't think we would do well under an Acornian thumb, would we? Or someone worse." The fox's yellow eyes narrowed as Maria picked up a little bit of subtext. Once the elevator stopped and the doors parted, he gestured with his free hand for her to follow. There seemed to be a large vault door down the only hall in the level.

"This used to be the area where Wildfire kept an atomic bomb at the ready to destroy the facility in case of a contamination emergency." Everest explained. "I repurposed it because the shockproofing here works to our advantage. The government disposed of the weapon some time ago and there's no radiation hazard." He took a step towards the vault door which began to open automatically, the outer lock turning before the door slid inwards. The fox seemed to gesture with his free hand as a sort of containment tank began to rise from the floor. Once the frost inside began to clear away, Maria pressed a hand to her mouth as she looked directly at Miles' face, the eyes open but more of a cyan blue color. The tank started to tilt until the front of it pointed up to the ceiling.

"Time to wake up now, Mr. Prower." Moddex said, inserting the chip into a slot. He flexed his fingers before initiating a sequence on the computer station next to the tank. There was a low hum and a whirr while Maria watched the fox operate the computer. She blinked, realizing that the system was making a copy of the chip.

"You're copying him rather than moving him?" Maria asked.

"It's a safety precaution, a copy at least can be redone. If movement failed for some reason, corruption could occur. After the process is complete, this will be the only active iteration of him, Doctor. The chip however will be stored for safe keeping. I intend to use its contents to also establish a sort of safety net for him. Think of the chip but in the form of a networked system." Moddex explained. "Death is still permanent for him if the chip were destroyed and this one body. So, we'll put him in a few places to where one can restore him again as needed."

"What about the organics you were speaking about? If this was on ice, won't it hurt if you bring him online all at once?" Maria asked. Everest pointed towards the tank.

"There's a spinal rig which is what he uses to integrate with the armor systems. Rotarl has one as well, I'd recommend if he has long-term operations in armor that he wears the jumpsuits we'll provide but his own tailor's bill is his own concern of course." The fox said. "The spinal rig when connected to the tank delivered a solution not unlike what you use to rewarm blood and organics after hypothermia therapy."

"So, you know a bit of trauma medicine as well, I figured you just as a weapons expert, perhaps a cyberneticist." Maria said.

"I know a great deal of things, Doctor." Moddex looked over at her, then pointed as Miles' face began to animate. He started to lean forward, lines from the tank disconnecting from the spinal rig. Miles looked down at himself and twitched his fingers, then his toes as his tails unfurled.

"I returned as you ordered." Miles said, looking at Everest. Then he carefully swung his legs over and stepped onto the floor while Maria looked him over, her face flushing for a moment. Miles leaned forward slightly and pressed his hands to her face, sniffing at her before lightly sweeping his tongue against her cheek. She wrapped her arms around his body, leaning into him. The only thing that seemed off was that when she grasped one of his wrists, she didn't feel a pulse.

"I thought I lost you." Maria said softly, hot tears running from her eyes while he shook his head.

"I thought so too, up until I briefly saw those words flash in my eyes. At first I thought _you_ did something to me." Miles admitted. "But you would have asked me. Then he-" He pointed his head towards Moddex. "-or at least a simulacrum of him appeared to me when you got the MAARS online. It's been a rather wild ride, but I'd rather not pay the admission again."

"I don't blame you, Lieutenant Commander." Moddex said, crossing his arms. "I suggest you get into a jumpsuit and crack into the manifest I've loaded into that body. You're not home free quite yet from what I understand of the situation." He tapped at his glasses. "Unfinished business on the ARK, there's still hostages up there. Then there's the matter of the enemy himself. But let's get you dressed and see how you take to food."

Miles nodded, and Maria slowly untangled herself from him to allow him to open an orange panel locker, removing a royal blue jumpsuit from within, as well as a pair of boots. He unzipped the jumpsuit and put one leg inside of it, following it with the other, pulling it up on his body to where he could get his arms in before zipping it up the rest of the way. He turned to face Maria, who ran her hands along the fabric.

"It's armored." Maria observed.

"Well his endoskeleton can take a good deal of abuse, but the idea is to prevent the need to test that resiliency." Moddex said. "Let's go meet Janus on the ground level, she should be done with her check-in by now. Then we'll talk armament."

 **Ground Level**

Food was just as much a tonic on the nerves as tea was. Pasta with garlic sauce as well as cheese spread around within its bowl, along with bread and one's choice of drink was what awaited the four. Miles sat to Maria's right, looking down at his bowl, picking up his spoon and dipping into it. He was fully aware that Maria was analyzing his every movement. Checking to see if there was anything off that might bring her towards the uncanny valley with him. As soon as his consciousness had linked in, the feeling in his fur and limbs felt no different than his original body. He even performed a signal analysis and found that his neuron-signal recall was dead on accurate. The sight and scent of the other three matched up, though he had to note that his sight, scent and vision was more acute.

Taste was another element that didn't seem any different to him. He liked pasta and especially if there was a white sauce involved, along with cheese whether it was parmesan or melted cheddar or mozzarella. Everything tasted correctly, as did the ice-filled glass of Coke. Though once he had swallowed, he lost awareness of his meal's presence. He also simulated breathing but then questions began to come to him internally. He ate but where did it go? Did he not gain weight any longer? The systems manifest had the answer every time. He tasted food and in fact it was processed to where it was broken down better than any organic system could do it, fueling onboard systems, just filling an energy reserve. He no longer had use for the bathroom outside of cleaning, no more using the porcelain throne for a reader's chair.

Maria went back to eating, her stomach making its displeasure of being mostly empty for the last few hours except for tea known to her. Janus seemed to be watching Miles as well but seemed more casual about it. There was a remote link established between the two that was signified by a silver iteration of the ZDI tri-hex at the top right corner of his HUD next to his full color one. He brought his HUD into full focus and looked over at Moddex, switching visual filter modes. Complete darkness surrounded the other fox, which confused him. He looked over at Maria and Janus, both showing up in almost every visual filter that he had. Moddex caught the look of momentary confusion but said nothing about it, leaning back in his seat with fingers linked.

"Let's talk." Everest said, rising to his feet. Miles gently rubbed Maria's back before getting up, following the other fox to the window. The two eyed each other, creator and creation. Miles crossed his arms and flared his nostrils audibly.

"I knew you tried to scan me, it was natural for you to try. I've got some modifications in me but one of them is a device that won't allow sensors to pick me up." Everest explained. "There's some things that I don't want anyone to find, even people I trust."

"I would say that would be a form of paranoia if it weren't for how calm you sound." Miles said softly. "I could appreciate the need some secrecy in the defense industry but what would you be worried about? Rival companies? The Acornians?"

"The Acornians are small fish compared to the shark that is Dr. Ivo Robotnik, Mr. Prower. But even then, there are even worst enemies out there. Enemies you haven't even gotten to see yet because fortunately they haven't been able to penetrate this universe. Except one did."

"How would you know that?" Miles asked, staring at the shorter fox.

"This wouldn't be the first time I've seen the Battle of the ARK." Moddex said. "But it would be the first time that I'd see it with a good possibility of victory without total destabilization."

"You saw the battle before? Why didn't you alert us? We could have acted on intelligence." Miles said, narrowing his eyes.

"Then would come the question as to how I came across it. That leads down a path to where the status quo gets upended terribly. The goose laying all her golden eggs at once. Greed, delusions of power and a society chained to the technology introduced, addicted to it. That would have been just as bad as Robotnik winning, except we'd be driving the sword into ourselves." Moddex explained. "I had to change the battlescape slowly, subtlety as I have. You were part of the equation there."

"The backup chip you mean? You put quite a lot of faith into someone you barely knew." Miles said.

"I guess you could say I'm a sucker for giving someone worthy a second chance. If it's any consolation the first time around, you at least died with Maria. But that was two lives wasted. My choice was validated though when you took control of the _Warspite_." Moddex said. "Sure, you had direct control of the ship, but you took immediate grasp of the tactical situation and leveraged your weapons rather effectively. You made Robotnik give up ground. Your presence shook him. Now that interests me, why would someone so confident in himself and corrupted, managed to flee in _fear_ of you?"

"He might not have directly feared me, perhaps it was just the tactics involved. No one really likes the idea of being on the receiving end of a full broadside, Doctor." Miles murmured.

"Had it been Concha, he might have possibly pressed his attack. But he broke because of _you_ , Miles. You might want to consider a change in career track after this." Moddex suggested, his ears flickering.

"To command? I don't have the qualities to run a ship like that indirectly." Miles said.

"You have the capacity, you just want to sit down and be small. You are content with where you are and what you have. But some of the best masters of the battlefield are those that don't seek it directly. I would have to agree on one thing though." Moddex said.

"What would that be?" Miles blinked.

"You would have been wasted as an infantry officer." Moddex declared. The two foxes stared at each other, a small smile forming on the corner of Miles' mouth. "Are you ready to finish this?"

"Am I ever." Miles turned to look back at the table

"His blood's up." Moddex seemed to mimic an Irish accent. "Good, good. Now let me unveil your early Christmas gifts." He clapped his hands, making Janus and Maria look towards them. There were audible footsteps as something approached the room. There seemed to be an unmanned suit of powered armor, carrying a large case and advancing towards Moddex. The fox pointed directly in front of Miles. "That will do."

The armor suit seemed to halt before him, setting the case down before taking a step back and fully opening from the back. The fox slowly stepped around the case and carefully mounted it with handles that unfolded before stepping in. The suit sealed him within with a low hiss as interface plugs inserted directly in line with the ports on his back, making him growl audibly.

"You'll get used to it." Moddex said as Miles looked down upon him from an even higher vantage point. Then a helmet seemed to fold around his face except for his muzzle. His visuals momentarily blanked out as he switched to a wider field of view provided by the suit's sensor package, the center of the field of view fed from his head. "Speaking of which, your sidearms are in your legs." Miles reached down as the holster compartments opened outwards, bringing out two mean looking black finish automatic with an extended barrel and magazine.

"I know, you'd rather have your Webley but most of your time would be spent dropping speedloaders in." Moddex said. "But we're not switching the caliber at least. .455 Webley is still rather useful which is why it's KRSN standard issue. But you'll need something for a heavier target or a large group of them. He pointed to the case, causing Miles to follow his instructions. "You should be able to connect to and activate these after attaching that to your back. Miles knelt down and raised the case over his head and lowered it down against his back until it locked in. Then a rifle stock seemed to rise up from the top almost as if the pack was a quiver. Pulling it up and out, he noticed that there was a magazine connected to a graphene belt that ran into the pack. It looked like a cross of an M14 and a No. 4 Lee-Enfield with a synthetic black finish.

"You're armored so recoil isn't much of a problem here, thus why you have the ZDI-Enfield Marksman, chambered in .303." Moddex explained. "Semi-automatic, you should have the time to make your shots. Though for heavier targets you may need some enhanced firepower. Another stock came up from the top, one that he removed with his left hand, a black finish rifle that had a thick barrel, cooling vents and three heavy insulated lines running to the weapon. There appeared to be what were two magazines connected, side by side. Miles put the Marskman back into its place and released the magazines from the second weapon. They weren't magazines at all, one seemed to be a heavy power cell while the other contained coolant.

"In case you must detach from a pack, it will operate independently with you but not at peak. You're best served by not making extremely high wattage shots in that configuration. When connected to the pack, it will at least draw coolant and power from the armor." Moddex said. "There's a third weapon as well, a rail rifle with a similar setup as the laser, only it's not as much of a power hog independently but you can change the launch velocity of your projectile, the faster it is, the more power it will need to draw."

"In essence." Maria had finished eating and walked up to Miles' left side. "You've made him into a walking weapon. Normally I would have had objections but after what we've been through today, it's time that we dished out more than what we took. What's our first move?"

"We take the ARK back." Miles said. Both Maria and Moddex looked at his helmeted face. "There's still a considerable Acornian presence there and the potential for problems with the Warp Gate. We don't want to go directly in pursuit of Ovi to have our forces potentially split in half. Those ships have been needing the opportunity to pay him back anyways. There might be something for us to fight once we're done up there."

"They'll likely need medical support up there as well." Maria said, looking over at Moddex. "Would your company be able to loan me some medical supplies? Perhaps some volunteers as well that I could go over BLS procedures with?"

"I'm going with you all, as is Janus." Moddex said. "We may not necessarily need additional medical personnel anyways if we have overwhelming force." He tilted his head to the side. "The Secretary of Defense just answered my e-mail, he got a little run down on Miles' specifications. The Raider Regiment is waiting for us at Camp Pendleton, SEAL Team One will be taking off from Coronado. JTF2 will launch from Trenton, the SAS from London, GIGN from France and GSG9 from Berlin."

"A spearhead assault alongside American marines." Miles raised his eyes up. "I don't know whom to feel sorrier for, us or the enemy?"


	27. Chapter 26: Operation Omaha

**Chapter 26**

 **Marine Corps Aerospace Station Camp Pendleton**

 **Oceanside, California**

"Major Roundtree. Lieutenant Commander Miles Prower." The fox offered an armored hand to the human. Roundtree looked up at the Keplerian and took it, pumping it firmly.

"I have to admit I haven't seen an officer as well armed as you are, Lieutenant Commander." Roundtree said. "Orders got passed down from Battalion, we'll be mounting up to hit the ARK. The only thing that wasn't specified was where you sit in the hierarchy. Are you intending to command our operations?"

"Not at all Major, I didn't start this fight as a shooter, but I certainly ended up as one. No, you know your trade better than I do. I won't second guess a professional, you may consider me a subordinate." Miles said. "So, company level forces for deployment but I wager we're going to have a battalion equivalent for command?"

"Joint task force through NATO. General John Grounds is coordinating Operation Omaha and then once the operation is complete, we will switch over to Operation Nemesis." Roundtree explained.

"Operation Nemesis?" Miles asked, cocking his head.

"Assuming the chase fleet is able to stop that carrier that your intelligence spoke of, it's probably going to be one Hell of a fight." Roundtree said. "If they're smart, they'll disable the ship and wait for us to arrive. We may as well bag all the aces."

"We may as well." The fox agreed. He heard Maria grunting and turned to face her. She was being helped into a USMC combat medic's orbital armor after changing into a set of MARPAT BDUs earlier. A white armband with the standard Red Cross was on each arm and to his surprise, she had a 1911 holstered at her side. The fox walked up to her and leaned forward, checking the seals on her helmet.

"We have control of the local space now." Miles said quietly. "This should be a nice and easy transport ride, then a good deal of shooting or captures. You're a doctor, nothing changes there. But be prepared to shoot, if someone's threatening you and your patients, you shoot. Do I make myself clear?"

"You do, my dear." Maria answered. "I managed to get a little bit of range time with this while you were finding everyone. It makes sense though, no fancy tricks, no headshots, just aiming for center mass."

"Knowing where hard cover is as well." The fox added, staring. "You don't have a backup chip."

"I know." Maria raised her head up and pressed her right hand to his muzzle. "Just because you do, doesn't mean that you can go in there recklessly either."

"I'm not the only one going in powered armor." Miles glanced over at Janus, who was wearing a slimmer and shorter armor suit that was like his own. The mouse had a squad automatic weapon slung to her body and with the way she was walking, Rotarl was ready to pay back the Acornians. So were the Marines, standing in formation and lighting cigarettes or cigars, some taking drags of coffee or energy drinks. His ears twitched while he heard laughter and grumbling intermixing. Now his right index finger twitched as he moved into the formation.

"Ah excuse me-" The fox started to speak but to his astonishment packs were offered up to him, two cigarettes popped out for easy extraction. He carefully pulled them up while someone tossed him a spare Bic lighter. Prower wasn't big on cigarettes but he certainly couldn't expect to get a pipe and an adequate pouch of tobacco at Pendleton's exchange. This would have to do for now, the fox clenching a Camel between his teeth before lighting up. It was physiologically useless because the nicotine wouldn't hit anything but mentally a sense of calm came over him.

 **Space Station ARK**

 **Reactor Level**

"My sovereign, grave news. The benefactor has appeared as we expected but he was attacked by the rebel battleship _Warspite_. It appears the _Warspite_ was somehow able to destroy the virus that we were using against both Earth orbital assets and the ships guarding the station. We still hold the station and the fleet has gone to fight the benefactor." Geoffrey St. John declared. "However, he was able to transmit a program for us to use against the security systems guarding the Chaos Reactor."

"You see, Professor." King Frederick growled at Geralt. "Despite your people's ingenuity and superior numbers, we still hold all the cards. Soon we will be in the reactor space, then we will take control of it and shut the Warp Gate down. Our benefactor will destroy the fleet pursuing him and he will return. We will take both of your planets and you will all kneel before _my_ throne here on this station."

"I see no evidence that you've won yet." Geralt spat in defiance. "You failed to get my granddaughter and I'm sure she'll be bringing help. You're facing the might of a world united against you. You're trapped here with us and if we must, we will fight you here."

"At the cost of how many lives, Professor?" Frederick sneered. He took a tablet that St. John offered and connected it to a port on the security panel for the reactor door and activated it. Geralt saw a brief glimpse of a red insignia that looked like the EggBot Incorporated logo and raised his eyebrows.

"That looks like my grandson's work." Geralt said with surprise. "So, you had him this whole time as a prisoner?"

"Hardly a prisoner," Frederick said, his tail swishing around. "He's the one that's going to ruin your fleets. He has been a very capable ally and will be my Minister of Science." The door started to swing outward, casting a bright light in the dark corridor, making them look away briefly as their eyes adjusted. Frederick went in first and opened his arms outwards as he looked around. "I have to say, this is a very beautiful machine Professor. Your people have harnessed the Chaos Emeralds for a great thing, bridging our systems together. But you've also abused it, using it to spread your ideals to my people. You've made my officers rebel, you've given my people power that they've squandered. Giving them the _vote_. There shall be no more of that. Today the Kingdom's flag will fly tall!"

Geralt was prodded forward by St. John towards the control station. He reached for the panel, staring at Frederick.

"So, you start by shutting down the Warp Gate." Geralt said sullenly.

"No Professor, that will be _your_ role." Frederick said, staring at him.

"I must respectfully remind your Highness that I am not qualified to handle these systems. It will take guesswork." Geralt said. "There is a good deal of power running in here. As far as what I recall there will be a brief shutdown of all systems so that they switch over to the station's fusion reactors. If I perform the wrong sequence, the reactor may reach a critical state."

"Then perhaps I should respectfully remind you that should you attempt anything other than what I've ordered, your life will be forfeit." Frederick growled.

"Everyone's lives here will be forfeit." Geralt pointed out as he studied the controls. He found the Chaos Reactor's shutdown sequence as Frederick watched him, holding his sidearm towards Geralt's head. He engaged the shutdown slowly after double checking everything. Then he glanced to the side, making note of an emergency supply locker. The bright multicolored lights coming from the Chaos Reactor core started to slowly die down as lighting and control systems were briefly interrupted. As soon as the panel came back online, he engaged the reactor's emergency SCRAM system, locks around it starting to loudly disengage, briefly distracting the Acornians. Then outer doors in the reactor space began to open, exposing the room to space. The sudden loss of environment pushed Frederick against a railing as he bellowed. Geralt ducked to avoid the gun that was being pointed at him, shots ringing in his ears as they missed. He cocked a fist back and slammed it into Frederick's solar plexus, causing him to double over as he made for the locker.

Wrenching the locker open, Geralt pressed his face into an emergency oxygen supply and took a deep breath before leaving the reactor space, taking off at a run while the Acornians started after him. Frederick looked back, bellowing as the reactor detached, floating out into space. Once he and St. John made it out, he shook his head and pointed towards the fleeing human.

"Kill him!" Frederick snarled, tossing his gun to St. John. "Kill them all!"

"As you wish!" Geoffrey growled as he took the tablet before leaving, emergency doors lowering down behind them.

 **USMC Spacehawk Transport**

 **Earth Orbit**

"What the Hell just happened?" Roundtree asked as he looked at an external camera view inside of the cockpit. "Prower! Rotarl! Come forward!"

Moddex, Janus and Miles proceeded forward into the cockpit though Miles had to make room for Moddex to take the head position.

"Someone SCRAMed the Chaos Reactor." Moddex observed. "I don't think that was in the Acornian playbook though. Can you connect us to the _Warspite_?"

"You got it." The pilot said as he made an adjustment. "KRSS _Warspite_ please standby for traffic from Omaha-1."

"Omaha-1, this is _Warspite_ Actual." Captain Concha answered.

"Captain, this is Dr. Moddex Everest of Zenith Defense Industries. I urgently request that you change heading and secure a reactor that's on a decay trajectory for re-entry. That reactor is necessary for bringing the Warp Gate back online."

"We'll move into position and secure it in our cargo hold." Concha said. They could hear the ship's intercom whistle "Commander Rose, please report to the cargo hold."

After a few minutes they could see the battleship moving above them, charging towards the floating reactor. An unseen energy beam captured the reactor and started to draw it in carefully towards opening cargo bay doors. Moddex sighed in relief and stepped back.

"The station's going to be running on its main fusion reactors at least." Moddex said. "Where are we going to insert?"

"The main flight deck." Roundtree said. "Let's speed it up then."

"Aye aye!" The pilot said, bringing the craft towards the flight bay. Upon their approach, the doors were closed. Miles linked up to the communications system on the transport and looked to Roundtree.

"I'll be right back." The fox said as he seemed to freeze, extending his presence out to the control systems. They were still being held down by the virus that was infecting the station. He couldn't directly purge the entire system until he was within, but he was at least able to release the hold on the outer doors, which slowly yawned open. Shaking his head, Miles pointed to them.

"Better get in there fast before the system's reinfected." The fox said.

"All Omaha assets, be prepared for a rapid landing!" Roundtree said into his headset. The transport started to lurch forward as it went all the way in, lowering down without any regard for parking space. The other craft started to follow suit until they were all settled down. They held, waiting for the doors to close before disembarking.

"Robots and anyone holding a weapon that's not in any recognizable friendly uniforms are a valid target." Roundtree said as the marines started to disembark. Miles and Janus filed out as the combined force assembled and began to rush forward towards the concourse.

"Blackout protocol's being engaged!" Miles called out into the voice net as he connected to the station systems now. The virus started to notice his presence, causing him to freeze. This was more potent than the malware that staggered the ships. He panned his head around as static started to fill his vision. Janus came to a stop beside him, her eyes glowing as she linked up as well. The static started to subside as the two anthroids began to push back. They slammed through and started to extend themselves towards the computer core, their self-images appearing to be fighting a massive arachnid. The boarders started to charge forward around them while the two managed to elevate themselves to administrator authority, forcing a complete restart.

All the lights in the station seemed to go out while the boarding party switched to low-light mode, taking advantage of the reset to move in. As the computer reset, the virus itself was forced to slowly start back up. They were waiting for it though, ripping it out from the kernel as it thrashed and tried to 'sting' them. Janus seemed to produce a crackling blade and cut the stinger off, deleting its primary attack routine while Miles watched it flop around as he fired indiscriminately into it, causing it to appear as if it were burning, the body shriveling up and beginning to dissipate.

"Malware's been purged." Miles said, his senses slowly returning as he looked over at the mouse, who was panting.

"Station security's coming back online. All security robots are being tasked to attacking hostiles." Janus said, pressing a hand to his back. "Let's clean up."

"Maria!" Miles looked over at the transport. "Let's go!"

Maria exited the transport, medical kit in her left hand, her right hand on the grip of her 1911 as she joined them.

"You two were frozen for a few minutes. Are you sure everything's all right?" she asked.

"Just a little bit of pest control." Miles reassured her. He shut down the lighting in the main concourse, bringing his own low-light systems up, while Maria activated hers within her helmet.

Acornians were staggering around in the dark though their accompanying robots were capable of operating in the dark. MAARS robots however were rolling out and targeting, firing AP rounds into them to where the shocked hostages were seeing the enemy robots sparking and falling. Miles drew his sidearms and started to line up targets while Janus withdrew a crackling electroblade. She launched herself at an Acornian with a loud yell, driving it into the hapless soldier, hauling them up and slamming them into the floor before withdrawing the blade.

Miles shot two targets in the head, hearing their bodies drop while repositioning, nudging hostages out of the way as he heard suppressed German submachine guns rattling. The operators were fanning out and he could hear English in different accents, telling the hostages to stay down. As the firefight started to tilt their way, he noticed troops carefully using their zip ties to cuff the hostages, a necessary safety precaution. At the right side of his vision, he could see Geralt rushing into the concourse with an Acornian trailing him. The Acornian fired once and Geralt fell onto the floor. Miles launched himself toward the Acornian who readied to fire again, the bullets deflecting off from his armor as he charged in. Geoffrey St. John was flattened to the floor as the fox pointed his sidearm at his face and fired. The Acornian secret service operative's gun clattered from his hand.

Miles knelt before Geralt and turned his head to the left.

"Get over here Maria!" he called out. "Your grandfather's been hit!" He kicked the gun aside and started towards her when a new voice broke in.

"My kingdom!" Frederick snarled loudly as he took the gun up. Miles instinctively covered Geralt's body as shots rang out, the bullets deflecting off from his armor. Then he heard several shots and Frederick uttering a low gurgling sound as he was knocked down onto his back. Looking over to his left, he saw Maria with her 1911 up, held in both hands with vapors steaming from the barrel. The lights began to come back on while Miles disengaged from low light.

"How bad is it?" Maria asked. Miles looked down and slowly turned Geralt onto his back. His eyes glowed as he switched visual modes, seeing the human's heart twitching slowly, then noticed a break in the aorta.

"Massive internal bleeding. The aorta's been shot clean through." Miles reported. Maria opened her kit and took out two bags of O-negative blood, chaining them together into one line before pulling Geralt's sleeve back. Miles took the tubing from her and found a vein, inserting it while she secured it with tape. He took both bags and squeezed them from the top.

"He needs an operating room, now!" Maria urged. She took her gloves off and scrubbed her hands with a disinfectant before putting sterile surgical gloves on.

"I don't know if we'll have time for that." Miles said, shaking his head. He looked over at a nearby trooper from the SAS. "You! Trooper! I need your help!"

"Yes sir!" The trooper strode forward, and Miles thrust the bags into his hand.

"Keep those held there and squeeze every five seconds." Miles instructed. He reached into Maria's kit and pulled out a laryngoscope and made it ready, opening Geralt's mouth, pressing the bladed end in to hold his tongue down. Then he grabbed an endotracheal tube and forced it down, verifying proper placement with his HUD before opening a compartment in his chest, pulling out an emergency oxygen line that he fixed to the tube. A ventilator inside of the armor began to run, following emergency medical protocols.

Maria injected an anesthetic in through the line that was in Geralt's arm and looked down at his pale face. She opened his shirt and hastily rubbed an antiseptic onto his chest before taking a scalpel, cutting a line down his chest. Then she unfolded a retractor and inserted it into the wound, cranking it to open the wound. The trooper looked away while Maria reached in, carefully moving Geralt's organs aside to find the injury. She started a portable suction device and began to drain blood away, letting it run out on the floor while Miles looked down, reaching into the field past her, squeezing down on the aorta. Maria saw the damaged section and nodded up at him, cutting it out before reaching into her kit for a thick tubing graft that was close to the right diameter. She threaded it in to the gap while Miles continued to clamp down on the ends with his hand while she sewed it into place. Slowly, the fox let go and they watched for signs of leakage.

Sweat ran across Maria's forehead but there wasn't any leakage that she could see. Taking a deep breath, she began to suction out more blood while Miles lifted his hand out. Slowly, she began to fix everything back into place before removing the retractor, packing the interior space with gauze before gluing the chest wound closed. The trooper looked down as Miles took the bags, nodding.

"Thank you, Trooper." Miles said. "Please get a gurney from Medical and bring it down here. Also see if you can find any surgeons and critical care staff and have them meet us down at Medical."

"Yes sir. Sergeant Tommy Williams, at your service, sir." The trooper said before moving off.

 **Space Station ARK**

 **Medical Deck**

"He's sleeping but his vitals are remaining stable for now." Maria said, taking off her helmet as the medical staff that Sergeant Williams was able to round up were checking Geralt over. A woman with red hair and green surgical scrubs came up to them and smiled at Maria, giving her a thumbs up.

"How did I do, Dr Elle?" Maria asked.

"The graft is holding, and we'll go in to set a proper patch and clean up after we've built his fluids back up and allow him some rest." Dr. Loor Elle declared. "I have to say, that was very quick on both of your parts. You, Lieutenant Commander were rather daring using your hand as an aortic clamp."

"The blood washed out at least," Miles said, examining his armored gauntlet. "I made sure got a thorough cycle in the autoclave before reattaching it."

"Good. We'll be on the lookout for infection, but I think he'll pull through nicely." Elle said.

"I'm staying with him." Maria said, looking over at Miles. "Are you going to go after Ovi now?"

"As soon as the reactor's back in place and online, Operation Nemesis is a go." Miles answered. Maria walked up to him, prompting him to lean in so that she could wrap her arms around his neck. She pressed her nose against his own and kissed him on the mouth before dropping down.

"Get back to me in one piece. As for Ovi, you can send him to the brig or to Hell at this rate." Maria said. "Go get him."

"I love you." The fox said quietly, bowing his head.

"I love you too. Thank you, Miles, for everything." Maria replied.


	28. Chapter 27: Operation Nemesis

**Chapter 27**

 **KRSS** _ **Warspite**_

"The reactor's been put back into place and is operating properly." Commander Rose said, appearing on the bridge beside Miles. She looked up at the armored fox. "You look a bit different from when I last saw you."

"Long story." Miles said, looking over at Rotor who was still sitting at 'his' position while Concha watched the Warp Gate's multi-colored portal slowly reappear.

"Let's fire a probe through there to make sure it goes to the right destination." Concha said.

"Aye, aye!" Percival said, thumbing the launch control while the viewscreen switched to its camera view. A few minutes later they were looking at the Kepler-22B side of the Warp Gate and Concha sighed in relief.

"Have you tried turning it off and back on?" Concha quipped. "Marvelous. Right, let's get cracking. Full speed ahead helm!"

"Aye aye." The helm officer said as the battleship started forward through the Warp Gate. The viewscreen switched back to main external cameras as the ship transited through the gate.

 **Kepler-22 System**

"Fleet status." Concha requested in his handmic.

" _Belfast_ reporting." A voice cut in. "The enemy ship is still mobile but we're sinking our teeth in."

" _Campbeltown_ here." Zincks could be heard. "We're launching a spread of torpedoes now."

" _Gneisenau_ , we're getting vengeance for _Bismarck_." A female German-accented voice said.

"As is _Prinz Eugen_." Another added in.

" _Atlanta_ 's making it burn." A man with a Midwestern-American accent said.

" _Kongo_ , _Yamato_ and _Kazagumo_ welcomes another friend to battle. We are behind you, _Warspite_."

" _Clemson_ coming in behind you with _Wickes_ , _Fletcher_ , _Mahan_ and _Gearing_." Admiral Mark Peabody cut in.

"Right, Admiral Peabody I assume you'll be in charge?" Concha asked.

"Incorrect." A familiar voice was now added into the network. "This is Field Marshal Amadeus Prower with General James. I am taking command of Operation Nemesis. Your orders are to disable and board the enemy ship. Dr. Robotnik is to be taken alive if possible."

"Why doesn't the idiot realize he's outgunned?" Concha sighed, putting the handmic up. "Mr. Percival, target the enemy carrier's engines and fire."

"Targeting engines with A and B turrets." The feline said. Bright yellow-white laser blasts were followed by rail projectiles, impacting with the rear of the carrier, causing its engines to burn out. Torpedoes from the _Campbeltown_ also struck it in the rear, several smaller explosions visible before dying down. _Warspite_ , _Campbeltown_ and _Belfast_ started to join in formation with Amadeus' transports also forming up. Miles looked down at Concha.

"Captain, requesting permission to disembark from the ship with Lieutenant Rotarl." Miles said.

"Permission granted." Concha said. He looked over at the fox.

"My intention is to make sure the landing zone is secured-" Miles started to explain but Concha shook his head.

"I understand perfectly, beside it's your father in the head of it." Concha nodded. "All my best, Lieutenant Commander. We'll be in behind you."

"Yes sir." Miles rose up and walked off from the bridge, moving down to Fire Control where Janus was also still in armor. She looked over at the fox and nodded.

"My father's leading the assault. Why, I have no idea." Miles said quietly.

"Does he know you're still alive?" Janus asked.

"I would think so. He'll soon find out either way." Miles said. "Let's go, I suppose this is a good field test of these hardsuits' flight systems."

"You'll love it." Janus said, allowing him to lead the way towards the nearest EVA port. Once they were through the airlock, he keyed the outer door and brought his medium laser out, while Janus had her electroblade at the ready. They floated free from the deck out into the vacuum of space and engaged the thrusters in their boots until they were at speed, vectoring towards the launch deck of the carrier. As they got closer, Miles could see the damage done to the ship in more detail. He pressed the laser's stock to his shoulder and fired when he was in adequate range, the bright yellow-white beam burning into the door. The fox continued to hold the trigger down, directing the beam to where it would make a large enough hole to allow the transports to get in, then attached the laser back into its pack before withdrawing his railgun.

He lined up his shot and fired several times, the rods launching out at full speed, knocking him back with each shot though his armor corrected each time for recoil. The rods struck true at the damaged plating, knocking it in and out of the way. The two anthroids started to thrust in and lower down onto the launch deck as robots seemed to scatter out, firing at them and the transports. Janus began to rush forward, boots locking to the deck, slamming and slicing into the nearest robots while Miles switched back to his laser, putting it into pulse mode and firing on the others. As they marched forward, the transports started to lower down behind them, suited Keplerian space marines exiting with their own smaller rail rifles. To his right, Miles saw a familiar figure moving towards him with a sidearm in hand.

"That's not going to be effective out here, Field Marshal." Miles said after connecting to their local com net.

"I know but I didn't grow old by being unprepared." Amadeus said. "I was told you died."

"Those rumors were exaggerated, father." Miles replied. "Stay behind me and I'll ensure you get in."

"Perhaps when this is all done, you can explain where you got this armor from then I can order more for the Army." Amadeus mused.

"Don't forget us bootnecks!" General James rumbled in the com net. "All right, boys. You've cleared the outer deck, let's go in and snatch this asshole."

 **Egg Carrier Bridge**

"Doctor, I think it's time that I finally say what's been on my mind for some time now." Orbot murmured. Ovi glared at the robot and made a fist as his seat turned to face him. "You've really stepped in it this time, _sir_."

"They may be on my ship but if they think they're going to capture me, they have another thing coming." Robotnik snapped. "Clear out from here, or don't if you want to be turned to scrap." He pulled a handle on the seat in towards him as the bridge began to shudder around them. Robotnik began to disappear, the seat sliding down on a track system. It wasn't a permanent seat but his personal hoverpod, lowering down into a large mech that as expected, seemed to resemble him on a massive scale. Previously this design had simple hands with spiked knuckles and a back-mounted munitions launcher. Of course, that was during easier, _fun_ times. Back when he was treating this entire ordeal of empire as a game. But this design was made after he was done with toys, this like the rest of his force was a weapon. A weapon made to enforce his will, one he was originally planning to use to cement his domination over all, even allies like King Frederick.

Frederick was a useful pawn, but it seemed his usefulness ran out as his vitals had flatlined, the readings coming from the arm that he installed. Dead like others that outlasted their capability to serve him whether by direct action or stupidity. It was unfortunate that he had to run off like this, cornered like an injured predator. Taking the station, revealing his presence to his family, demanding the surrender of Earth and recovering Metal Sonic Mark V. But no, that damned fox had to _ruin_ things as he always did.

Robotnik looked out at the cameras in the flight deck and spotted the tall, armored vulpinroid. He was supposed to be dead, but he kept coming back to spite him. Just like that damned hedgehog, but Sonic's luck had run out and he had fallen into his hands. Perhaps when this was all over and done, he'd dissect Prower's brain and install it into a shell, but not as a weapon but for torture. That is, if he had a brain still. With the way he was moving and targeting things, it all seemed like a parallel to Metal Sonic. As the pod lowered down into the mech, Ovi brought its systems online and took the joysticks in hand, waiting for the marines to filter in.

 **Launch Deck**

"There's some kind of mech in here." General James said, looking over at Amadeus. Miles held his laser towards it and froze. Zooming in, he scanned the mech and then picked up a single lifeform inside. Lowering his ears, the vulpinroid uttered a low growl.

"Robotnik's in there." He then noticed barrels on its arms starting to spin and broke into the com net. "Get to cover! He's going to fire on us!" The first bursts of fire however were already being fired, marines kneeling or going prone were cut down and rendered into a mishmash of armor and blood from the high-caliber gunfire. Miles made certain that his body was covering his father and General James, then squared up the head of the mech, firing.

Robotnik groaned and lowered his goggles down over his eyes as the blinding light seeped through, but no damage made it through thanks to the reflective plating. He targeted the fox with both guns and fired them, also launching munitions from his back. The gunfire kicked up sparks around the fox and slammed into him, penetrating through at various places. The armor continued to hold for the most part, though he was moving more slowly. More importantly, neither of the two men behind him were injured. He raised his head up as he saw the munitions arcing down towards him. Then he felt pressure on his back and shoulders as Janus jumped onto him and launched up into the air, grabbing the projectiles and lobbing them back at Robotnik. They struck home, exploding around him but caused no direct damage.

Robotnik retargeted now as the mouse dropped down in front of him. She jumped up into the air as his guns fired down on her, then began to track. The mouse landed up onto his head and she brought her hands down onto the pod's top, curling her fingers in and starting to lift, groaning as the armor protested. The mouse's eyes glowed as she urged herself to keep going, overriding safeties while the pod's top began to lift. Robotnik brought his mech's right hand up, firing point blank at Janus. The mouse started to skid back as the high-caliber rounds punched through her armor at that range. Then he grappled her and flung her down onto the deck, cackling through external speakers.

The mouse didn't move, and Miles consulted his HUD, getting a flatline reading from her systems. Snarling, the fox started to bound forward, pulling his railgun out, now dual-wielding it with his laser. As the guns were pointed towards him, he pivoted as Robotnik fired and returned fire, targeting joints. The gunfire penetrated through his armor as he knocked out one gun, jumping up to claw at what looked like handholds on the front. Robotnik targeted him with his remaining gun while Miles dropped the laser down, firing at the other gun in intervals while climbing. The marines that were still alive were getting cooperative targeting data from his systems and shifted their fire to the same joints as he continued to climb. More rounds slammed into him, but he held on, dropping his railgun so that he could devote himself to climbing. Robotnik started to shake the mech around to try to throw him off but the snarling vulpinroid kept going until he made it to the top. Robotnik brought his remaining gun arm down to hit him but the fox clamped his boots down into the mech, grabbing the 'hand' as the barrels started to rotate, pushing it to the pod's top.

Robotnik saw the gun pointed directly at him and quickly released the triggers as the last shots shattered the pod, the plating falling off in pieces while the heavily damaged fox scrambled in, growling ferally. Robotnik stared at his helmet, parts of it shot off along with fur on the fox's face, revealing chrome and blood, a glowing blue eye fixed on him. Miles detached his harness and hauled him up face to face before turning to hold him to where he would dangle. Robotnik flailed around and gasped for air, trying to grab at his arms. Miles just stared back as Rotarl's diagnostic systems started to show feeble traces of activity. Clenching his jaws tightly, Miles shoved him roughly back into his seat and removed the oxygen mask from his armor, attaching it to his face while withdrawing his sidearm, digging the barrel into the madman's scalp.

"Dr. Ovi Robotnik," Miles' voice was a guttural mash of static but still recognizable. "By my authority as an officer of the Keplerian Republic Space Navy, I'm placing you under arrest."

"Why didn't you kill me?" Robotnik whispered, trembling.

"Fortunately for you, Lieutenant Rotarl _and_ Professor Robotnik are still alive. I'm going to haul you down from here and then you're going to be held on the _Warspite_ , in the brig. They'll recover and then they'll get to watch you be put up before every court that wants a piece of you. They may put you to life imprisonment and that's fine. When you're good and ready, we're going to _hang_ you on Kepler-22B." Miles growled. "We'll need a rather strong rope for your neck, but maybe prison food will help with that."

"There will be others, you might have me in your grasp now." Robotnik murmured, regaining a little bit of confidence. "But don't think this is the last time that you'll see me free. I'll be back, and when I am, I'll make sure I kill you first so that Maria can watch."

"We'll see about that." Miles said, keeping a nasty grip on the front of Robotnik's tunic as he pulled him over the side and began to climb down. Marines were standing in formation at the bottom, Amadeus in the center with his arms crossed, but when he looked Miles in the eye, he nodded with approval.

Miles thrust Robotnik towards the marines, who zip-cuffed his hands behind his back, then he pushed the human forward.

"Get that garbage in the _Warspite_ brig and out of my sight." The fox growled, slowly walking towards where Janus had impacted against the deck. He knelt and picked the mouse up, her body looked more heavily damaged than his own.

"P-Prower," Janus' voice was intermixed with static as she seemed to pant. "I'm a mess."

Miles looked forward towards the nearest transport and started to step to it.

"They'll fix you." Miles said reassuringly. "They fix everything."


End file.
